Three diagnosed with deadlier UK variant of coronavirus in St. Clair County
Three people have tested positive with the United Kingdom’s B.1.1.7 COVID-19 strain in St. Clair County, officials reported Monday, marking the first time the strain has entered the area.
St. Clair County Chairman Mark Kern said the county’s health department identified three cases of the strain that originated from the U.K, which the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention says is more contagious than the original strain and brings a higher risk of death.
Kern urged people to continue to wear a mask, social distance and wash their hands as vaccinations against COVID-19 continue. He said this was a reminder that the virus is still in the county.
“We’re still dealing with COVID, we still have people being affected,” Kern said. “Our numbers are looking good but we see other places nearby in the state that are rising.”
Last week, CDC officials said the United Kingdom variant is also the most “dominant strain’‘ in the U.S. currently.
Kern said it isn’t surprising the strain made its way to St. Clair County.
“The UK variant is the prominent strain in the United States right now,” he said. “It’s fairly well known in the country but it’s the first time we’ve seen it in the county.”
County Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons said the county health department is taking “aggressive” action to stop the spread of the strain.
In the meantime, Kern urged people in the county to get vaccinated.
Vaccinations do help protect people against these variants, the CDC says. However, testing is still ongoing to reveal the level of protection a fully vaccinated person has against the UK and other variants and evidence is currently “limited.”
This story was originally published April 12, 2021 at 3:53 PM.