Colorado: Cases of B.1.617.2 Detected

[Okieman]

Colorado?s first cases of COVID-19 variant found in India identified in Mesa County

Outlook remains uncertain in the state on coronavirus cases, hospitalizations

The first Colorado cases of a COVID-19 variant originally identified in India have turned up in Mesa County, but it?s not clear how much of a threat this particular version of the virus will pose.

The five people who tested positive hadn?t recently traveled outside Mesa County, but it?s not yet known if they had any connections to each other, state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy said during a news briefing Thursday.

The B.1.617.2 variant, one of several first found in India, has mutations that could make it more contagious and reduce the effectiveness of antibody treatments, but there isn?t enough information to be sure if it that?s the case. Not much information is available about whether the vaccines provide less protection against this variant, but the limited data doesn?t raise concerns on that point so far, she said.

snip

https://www.denverpost.com/2021/05/06/colorado-covid-variant-india-mesa-county-vaccines-cases-hospitalizations/

[Okieman]

Colorado identifies Indian coronavirus variant in at least 5 residents

The variant, identified as B.1.617.2, is considered a variant of interest (VOI).

Health officials in Colorado have identified five cases of a coronavirus variant first discovered in India. The cases involve five females in Mesa County who are all from different households, according to a news release posted Thursday.

Officials said all individuals are between the ages of 30 and 65 years old and that the cases were identified through the sequencing of test samples. The variant, identified as B.1.617.2, is considered a "variant of interest (VOI)."

snip

https://www.foxnews.com/health/colorado-identifies-cases-indian-coronavirus-variant

[Okieman]

Okieman Comment: Use Google Map to see where Mesa County, CO is located. Grand Junction is the largest city there, with a population of around 62,000 people. These were five individuals from five different households. And were identified via sequencing of the test samples. Mesa County is quite a ways from any larger cities. Does Grand Junction have testing facilities to do the sequencing, or did they have to send the samples to Denver? The point I am trying to make is that probably something threw up a red flag about these cases for them to be sequenced. I do not know, just wondering. If you go to the Covid Pulse Map and look at the graph for Mesa County it is showing a rise in cases. Not steep, but contrary to much of the country it is rising. Grand Junction is located on Interstate 70, a major east/west highway across part of the U.S. Here is a link to the Covid Pulse Map. Zoom into Mesa County (western Colorado), click on it, and then scroll down to see the graph.

https://livingatlas.arcgis.com/covidpulse/#@=-94.464,40.252,4

[Okieman]

COVID-19 rates still climbing

COVID-19 infections continue to rise locally as Mesa County Public Health reported Saturday that the two-week infection rate was closing in on 550.

Sixty-six new cases were announced Saturday after 97 new cases that were reported Friday. In the past four days, 192 new cases have been logged, bumping the one-week positivity rate to 4.5%, according to data from Mesa County Public Health.

There have now been 14,681 positive cases recorded since the beginning of the pandemic and 161 deaths. Hospitalizations did dip slightly, down to 19 as of Saturday?s count.

snip

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/western_colorado/covid-19-rates-still-climbing/article_dd933c40-b04c-11eb-a38f-ff7bfd36b460.html

[Okieman]

Local, state health departments to provide testing site at Fruita 8/9 on May 12
By Calvin Corey
Published: May. 11, 2021 at 12:05 PM CDT|Updated: 4 hours ago

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - With the identification of the B.1.617.2 COVDI-19 variant that was first detected in India of 2020 being reported in Mesa County, along with elevated case numbers, Mesa County Public Health, in coordination with the state health department, will set up a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at Fruita 8/9 on May 12.

This site will be by appointment only, and appointments will be available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A link to pre-registration can be found here.

snip

https://www.nbc11news.com/2021/05/11/local-state-health-departments-to-provide-testing-site-at-fruita-89-on-may-12/

[Okieman]

India variant discovered in schools as second Fruita school added to outbreak list
By JAMES BURKY James.Burky@gjsentinel.com
May 12, 2021

With only two weeks to go in the school year, a second Fruita school has been added to Mesa County?s outbreak list.

snip

The B.1.617.2 variant, first found in India, was detected in Mesa County last week in people with no recent travel history. Now, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is setting up a testing site at Fruita 8/9, 1835 J Rd., to gauge the variant?s presence in the community. CDPHE told the district that the India variant has been detected in two schools ?at opposite ends of the valley,? Marvin said. She did not say if either schools were in Fruita.

snip

Mesa County has reported 581 new cases in the past two weeks and county health is listing 13 active outbreaks.

snip

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/colorado/india-variant-discovered-in-schools-as-second-fruita-school-added-to-outbreak-list/article_517b594c-b298-11eb-87a2-d3cf4a4658fd.html

[Okieman]

Increased COVID-19 hospitalizations in Mesa County; health leaders encourage vaccine

By Calvin Corey
Published: May. 14, 2021 at 11:55 AM CDT|Updated: 1 hours ago

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - COVID-19 transmission is on the rise throughout the Mesa County community, which is leading to elevated hospitalizations, Mesa County Public Health reported on Friday.

The health department states that patients hospitalized with the virus have nearly doubled in recent weeks, with 25 total confirmed hospitalizations as of Friday. Eight of those patients are in the ICU.

Health officials say that several strains are contributing to the rise of transmission and that the additional patients coming into hospitals is putting a strain on the system. Now more than ever, health officials are advising community members to get the vaccine.

snip

https://www.nbc11news.com/2021/05/14/increased-covid-19-hospitalizations-in-mesa-county-health-leaders-encourage-vaccine/

[Okieman]

Mesa County warns of hospital strain amid rising COVID cases

• May 14, 2021 Updated 18 hrs ago

Local health officials are warning that an increase in COVID-19 cases has also led to an increase in hospitalizations just as the outdoor recreation season arrives.

snip

In the past month, Mesa County has gone from three Intensive Care Unit COVID-19 patients to eight. The total number hospitalized is now 25, according to the release.

snip

In recent days, the two-week case count for Mesa County has risen to more than 630 with a one-week positivity rate that has again reached 5%.

snip

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/mesa-county-warns-of-hospital-strain-amid-rising-covid-cases/article_e902ec84-b4d8-11eb-bbb7-bb922eabaeca.html

---------------------------------

Okieman Comment: On 5/12/2021 the two week case count was 581. And on the day this article was published, 5/14/2021 the two week case count was 630. I am watching Mesa County, Colorado closely since it may give me some insight into how things will play out in Cleveland County, Oklahoma where a 17 person cluster was reported yesterday.

[Okieman]

India COVID variant cases nearly triple
By CHARLES ASHBY Charles.Ashby@gjsentinel.com

• 13 hrs ago

The number of infections from the new India variant in Mesa County has nearly tripled in less than a week, and the county continues to be the only one in the state that has seen that strain of the coronavirus.

At the same time, the county has had six new deaths since May 3, including two over the weekend that involved unvaccinated patients who either died of the virus or with it, Mesa County Public Health Director Jeff Kuhr told county commissioners Monday.

The county now has 20 confirmed cases of the variant that first appeared in India, only two of which had received their first dose of the vaccine. That compares to seven last Tuesday, but still well under the 55 county residents who have tested positive for the U.K. variant, and the 46 with the California strain, according to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment records.

snip

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/western_colorado/india-covid-variant-cases-nearly-triple/article_a8be3062-b743-11eb-8603-bf3239bbf7ff.html

[Okieman]

Cases of COVID-19 variant from India rise in Mesa County

snip

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said the county has 20 confirmed COVID-19 cases of the variant, and only two of those people had received their first dose of vaccine. Last week, health officials reported seven cases of the variant.

snip

Officials say the county has also reported 55 cases of the variant from the U.K. and 46 cases of the variant from California. The COVID-19 strains have proven to be more contagious but it is unclear if symptoms are more serious, Kuhr said.

Kuhr said its concerning that most of the cases caused by the variant from India are linked with schools and one workplace.

snip

https://www.aspentimes.com/news/cases-of-covid-19-variant-from-india-rise-in-mesa-county/

[Okieman]

COVID-19 infections outpace new vaccinations

By JAMES BURKY James.Burky@gjsentinel.com TOM HESSE Tom.Hesse@gjsentinel.com
May 20, 2021 Updated 1 hr ago

More Mesa County residents got COVID-19 last week than got their first dose of the vaccine to protect against the disease.

snip

All of this is happening as the county responds to the spread of the India variant of COVID-19. The B.1.617.2 variant, which was first identified in India in December of last year, was reported by Mesa County Public Health at the beginning of May when five women were found to be infected with the new variant.

According to Mesa County Public Health, there are now 141 known cases of that variant in Mesa County. Of those, a handful were found in people who had been partially or fully vaccinated. Three residents who had been fully vaccinated later tested positive for a COVID-19 variant, two of which were for the India variant. Another six residents who were partially vaccinated also later tested positive for the India variant.

snip

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/western_colorado/covid-19-infections-outpace-new-vaccinations/article_0d8de834-b807-11eb-a803-b3b48523af22.html

[Okieman]

India variant continues spread in county
By CHARLES ASHBY Charles.Ashby@gjsentinel.com

• 18 hrs ago

Mesa County still is the only place in the state to see cases of the India variant of the original COVID-19 virus, but it now has another one from abroad, this time from Brazil.

The county went from having 20 cases Tuesday of the more contagious variant that was first identified in India to 33 by Thursday, up from seven just a week ago, according to the Mesa County Public Health Department.

In the meantime, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is reporting that the county has joined 16 other counties in the state with confirmed cases of the Brazil variant. Four such cases have merged here.

snip

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/western_colorado/india-variant-continues-spread-in-county/article_a29f2be8-b9ad-11eb-86f4-c766c18881b9.html