Feinberg researchers find COVID-19 strain from Brazil in Chicago
Megan Munce, Campus Editor
March 10, 2021
Illinois? first known case of the COVID-19 variant first detected in travelers from Brazil was found last week by researchers at Northwestern?s Feinberg School of Medicine.
Feinberg?s Pathogen Genomics research team identified the strain through sequencing analysis of a COVID-19 specimen, which confirmed it as the P.1 variant first identified in the United States in late January in Minnesota. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the individual ? who did not report having traveled out of state ? has been contacted and notified.
Some research has suggested the P.1 variant is more infectious and may be more resistant to vaccine antibodies, but the IDPH cautioned that more research is needed to confirm the information.
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https://dailynorthwestern.com/2021/0...il-in-chicago/
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Okieman Comment: This case had not traveled out of state. The one reported a few days ago in Ohio also had not traveled: https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/...brazil-variant
And there was also one in Alaska recently which had not traveled: https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2021...red-in-alaska/
If all three of these are community acquired as they appear to be, then the P.1 variant from Brazil is spreading in the U.S. I wish we had a better handle on the distribution.
Megan Munce, Campus Editor
March 10, 2021
Illinois? first known case of the COVID-19 variant first detected in travelers from Brazil was found last week by researchers at Northwestern?s Feinberg School of Medicine.
Feinberg?s Pathogen Genomics research team identified the strain through sequencing analysis of a COVID-19 specimen, which confirmed it as the P.1 variant first identified in the United States in late January in Minnesota. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the individual ? who did not report having traveled out of state ? has been contacted and notified.
Some research has suggested the P.1 variant is more infectious and may be more resistant to vaccine antibodies, but the IDPH cautioned that more research is needed to confirm the information.
<snip>
https://dailynorthwestern.com/2021/0...il-in-chicago/
-------------------
Okieman Comment: This case had not traveled out of state. The one reported a few days ago in Ohio also had not traveled: https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/...brazil-variant
And there was also one in Alaska recently which had not traveled: https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2021...red-in-alaska/
If all three of these are community acquired as they appear to be, then the P.1 variant from Brazil is spreading in the U.S. I wish we had a better handle on the distribution.