ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ill. — St. Clair County has announced its first case of the COVID-19 variant first seen in travelers from Brazil.
In total, Illinois has seen 1,795 cases of the variant as of Thursday.
It’s something Missouri hasn’t seen as much of.
The variant, called P.1, was first identified in the states near the end of January.
The first known cases of this variant were discovered in travelers from Brazil during a routine screening at an airport in Japan.
Among 434 coronavirus cases in Missouri recorded during a four-week period ending April 24, 4.4% of those cases (19 total) were the P.1 variant, according to the CDC. Illinois had 3,913 cases recorded during the four-week period, and 20.5% (802 total) were the P.1 variant.
This variant contains a set of additional mutations that may affect its ability to be recognized by antibodies.
Dr. Andrew Pekosz, a microbiologist from Johns Hopkins University, says this type of variant is one we should keep an eye on. Research has shown that the variants first detected in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil all spread very easily.
Good news though — most recent studies suggest the antibodies generated through vaccination recognize the P.1 variant. Experts have verified that despite increasing COVID-19 mutations, vaccines are still highly effective.
“It’s clear that the vaccine is protecting nearly 100% from hospitalizations and deaths even with these variants,” Dr. Pekosz said.
If you are concerned that you may have COVID-19 or any of the following symptoms, get tested for the virus and follow proper CDC guidelines:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Click here for a list of places you can get tested for free.