First cases of U.K. coronavirus variant show up in Fresno County
Three cases of a coronavirus variant that first emerged in the United Kingdom have been confirmed in Fresno County, the first known incidents of COVID-19 variants to be reported in the county.
Dr. Rais Vohra, interim health officer with the Fresno County Department of Public Health, said Friday that his office was notified by state health officials on Thursday that three residents had tested positive for the B.1.1.7 variant of the virus — a strain that he described as both more contagious and potentially more deadly than the main form of coronavirus that has been evident in the central San Joaquin Valley for more than a year.
Since its emergence in late December, the U.K. variant has spread to more than 200 counties, and at least 265 cases of it have been confirmed in California as of March 11, according to the state Department of Public Health.
“This is the first indication that variants are present and circulating in Fresno County,” Vohra said in a Friday afternoon briefing with reporters.
He added that these are likely “the tip of the iceberg” and that he believes there are probably many cases that have so far gone undetected because samples have not been sent to state laboratories for more detailed genetic analysis.
“The variants are here. I don’t think that should surprise anyone,” he added. “These three individuals represent the first three people in our county who have been documented to have these more contagious and possibly more severe strains of coronavirus that have been identified worldwide.”
Vohra said the three people were actually tested for COVID-19 in late February and early March, but various delays meant the county wasn’t notified until Thursday. “We know these variants were circulating at that time because that’s when the samples were obtained,” he said, adding that “I wouldn’t be surprised if I got more emails (Friday) afternoon” about additional cases.
The presence in the Valley of the U.K. variant, and the likelihood of other strains that have emerged around the world, represent a concern for the medical community because it means the virus is changing — a normal pattern of what can happen as the contagion reproduces itself is and passed from one person to another, he said.
“With the U.K. variant, the early signals are that it’s both more contagious to other people and more deadly and more severe to the person that’s actually harboring that strain,” Vohra said. “Both of those are concerning in and of themselves, but when you take them together, it’s almost like the virus is mutating to be even more of a problem than it was before.”
The confirmed discovery of the variant in Fresno County follows last week’s announcement by health officials in neighboring Kings County that two residents who had tested positive for COVID-19 variants: one with the B.1.1.7 U.K. variant, and one with a variant known as B.1.429 that has emerged in California. More than 4,000 cases with that particular strain of coronavirus have been confirmed in California.
The variant cases come as Fresno County is already struggling with a stagnant rate of decline in the number of new cases turning up each day, keeping Fresno as one of only 11 counties statewide in the most stringent tier of business-reopening restrictions under California’s “Blueprint for a Safer Economy.”
“We are still in the widespread community spread tier here in Fresno County compared to the rest of the state,” Vohra said. “We still have just a lot of infections that are being reported every single day.”
The combination of persistent case counts and the potential for new variants to be transmitted more easily from person to person underscore the need for residents and businesses to continue to follow rules and guidance aimed at preventing the spread of the virus. “We need to all stay vigilant and don’t let down our guard,” Vohra said.
“Even if we’re getting vaccinated, if we don’t wear masks and do the social distancing at this time, these variants can still attack people who are vaccinated because we know the vaccines aren’t 100%” effective, Vohra said. “You can still pick up especially a variant form of the strain and then pass it on to someone else who may not be as lucky as you are.”
It’s unclear how resistant the virus may be to current coronavirus vaccines or to other treatments that have been employed to care for patients who get sick with COVID-19. “We’re still not out of the woods by any means,” the doctor said.
Compounding the concern is that many Fresno County residents have yet to be vaccinated. To date, Vohra said, more than 320,000 doses of vaccine have been distributed among the county’s population of about 1 million people, but fewer than 88,000 have been fully vaccinated with two doses.
Fresno County, like other counties across the state, is also working on plans to bring students back to schools for in-person classes. “But remember kids aren’t vaccinated” because only residents ages 16 and older with underlying health conditions, or workers in certain critical occupations and senior citizens ages 65 and older have been eligible for shots so far, Vohra said.
“So as we reopen schools, we’re going to have to really protect the rest of the population and make sure that we don’t have more outbreaks that then spill over into the community,” he added.
This story was originally published March 19, 2021 at 1:55 PM.
