South Carolina Reports 1st Known U.S. Cases Of Variant From South Africa

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January 28th, 2021

A healthcare worker from the Medical University of South Carolina administers a coronavirus test earlier this month at a site in a parking lot in Charleston, S.C. U.S. health authorities said Thursday that the first U.S. cases of the variant that emerged from South Africa were detected in the state.

Micah Green / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Updated at 2:35 p.m. ET

Health officials have identified the first U.S. cases of the coronavirus variant that was initially detected in South Africa. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the variant, known as B 1.351, has been found in South Carolina.

“CDC is early in its efforts to understand this variant and will continue to provide updates as we learn more,” the agency said. “At this time, we have no evidence that infections by this variant cause more severe disease. Like the U.K. and Brazilian variants, preliminary data suggests this variant may spread more easily and quickly than other variants.”

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