New COVID Variant Found in Marion County

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is reporting the first identification in a Missouri resident of the new COVID-19 variant, which was first detected in the United Kingdom last September and began being reported in the United States in December. The variant was identified in a sample from an adult living in Marion County. To protect the privacy of the individual, no further information will be released about the patient.

The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows 611 cases have been reported to the CDC in the United States as of February 4th, with 33 states reporting cases thus far.

According to the CDC, this particular variant is associated with increased transmissibility, meaning it can spread more quickly. However, early reports found no evidence to suggest that this variant has any impact on the severity of disease or vaccine efficacy.