A third dangerous, more-contagious coronavirus variant is discovered in Yolo County

Rosalio Ahumada
·4 min read

The UC Davis Genome Center has detected a more contagious variant of the coronavirus which first emerged in Brazil and has been identified in the test results of a person in Yolo County, officials announced Thursday afternoon.

This is the first-known case identified in Yolo County of the P.1 variant of the coronavirus, according to a news release from Healthy Davis Together, a joint project between University of California, Davis and the city of Davis to prevent further spread of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus.

The P.1 variant listed as a variant of concern by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This variant has now been detected in 31 states, according to the CDC. California has reported 41 cases of P.1, according to the news release.

P.1 is the third COVID-19 variant of concern detected in Davis, following the confirmation of the B.1.351 variant April 6 and the B.1.1.7 variant in February. Officials said all three variants have higher transmission rates, which means they spread more easily and increase in prevalence quickly.

Officials also said the B.1.1.7 variant is now becoming the most common strain locally,which similar to the pattern seen elsewhere.

“The detection of another highly transmissible variant is concerning, especially as things begin to open up again and more people are out and about,” Yolo County Public Health Office Aimee Sisson said in the news release. “It’s as important as ever to adhere to public health measures, including masking, physical distancing and regular testing, to keep the transmission of the virus as low as possible while we accelerate our vaccination efforts.”

Officials said the person who tested positive for the P.1 variant is an adult who lives in Davis and had not been vaccinated for COVID-19. This person has been notified and was under isolation Thursday. Contact tracing efforts were started within a few days of sample collection and testing.

Each positive COVID-19 test result conducted by Healthy Davis Together is automatically screened by the Genome Center for all currently known variants of concern, so that immediate action can be taken to alert and protect the community, according to the news release.

Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is the most important thing each resident can do, said Sheri Belafsky, medical director for Healthy Davis Together and director of the Medical Surveillance Program for UC Davis Health.

“However, until most of the population has been vaccinated, variants like P.1. are a threat,” Belafsky said in the news release. “Following public health guidance and getting tested weekly are the best tools we have to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and all of its variants until enough people have been vaccinated to stop the spread.”

With three highly contagious variants detected in Yolo County, residents are being urged to continue following public health guidance, including:

  • Wear a mask/face covering; make sure it fits properly.

  • Keep physical distance; at least 6 feet apart and more if possible.

  • Practice good hand hygiene.

  • Get tested at least weekly for COVID-19, even if you are asymptomatic.

  • Avoid large crowds.

  • Do activities outdoors whenever possible.

  • Stay home if you feel sick.

  • Get vaccinated when it is available to you.

The COVID-19 variants detected in Yolo County may cause more severe disease and may be resistant to available treatments, county health officials said Thursday.

“Total new cases of COVID-19 in Yolo County are holding steady, but this is falsely reassuring,” Sisson said in a county news release. “The steady total masks a concerning increase in cases caused by more infectious variants. These same variants have caused tremendous surges in other counties and other states.”

She said the public needs to be extra careful right now to avoid a surge that could overwhelm the health care system and cause more COVID-19 deaths.

Yolo County officials said businesses and organizations that plan to host indoor events and performances, such as concerts, sports competitions, wedding receptions or proms, need to be “particularly cautious” in light of spreading virus variants.

These event organizers are encouraged to require all attendees to show proof of full vaccination or a recent negative test, according to the county news release. Rapid antigen tests at the door of these events are an option to ensure guests are not infected with coronavirus.

Residents are recommended to get vaccinated as soon as possible, those 16 and older are now eligible in Yolo County. County health officials said current data shows that COVID-19 vaccines protect residents from circulating strains, including variants, significantly reducing the chance of getting severely ill or dying.