Iowa, South Carolina report first cases of British COVID-19 variant

Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Iowa and South Carolina reported their first cases of the more contagious B.1.1.7 strain of COVID-19, health officials said.

Health officials in both states reported finding cases of the variant first reported in Britain, which is believed to be twice as transmissible as the original strain of the coronavirus that emerged in late 2019.

On Monday, the Iowa Department of Public Health announced it had reported three cases of the variant with two found in adults aged 18 to 40 and one aged 41 to 60.

"Viruses constantly change through mutation and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time. Sometimes new variants emerge and disappear. Other times, new variants emerge and persist," said Dr. Caitlin Pedati, state medical director and epidemiologist.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced on Saturday that an adult from the state's Lowcountry region who had traveled internationally was its first known case.

The state had previously reported a case of the B.1.351 variant, first reported in South Africa.

"The arrival of the second SARS-CoV-2 variant in our state is yet another important reminder to all South Carolinians that the fight against this deadly virus is far from over," said DHEC Interim Public Health Director Dr. Brannon Traxler.

The B.1.1.7 has been discovered in 33 states and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN Monday that those who have already tested positive for COVID-19 have a high rate of reinfection from the variants.

"If it becomes dominant, the experience of our colleagues in South Africa indicate that even if you've been infected with the original virus that there is a very high rate of reinfection to the point where previous infection does not seem to protect you against infection," he said.