NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – New York state's first confirmed case of the Brazilian coronavirus variant has been found in New York City, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday.
The case was identified by scientists at Mount Sinai hospital in New York City and verified by the Department of Health's Wadsworth Center Laboratories, Cuomo said.
The patient is a Brooklyn resident in their 90s with no travel history, according to the governor.
State health officials are working with the city Department of Health on contact tracing for the patient.
"The detection of the Brazilian variant here in New York further underscores the importance of taking all the appropriate steps to continue to protect your health," Cuomo said in a statement.
The governor urged people to continue wearing masks, avoiding large crowds, social distancing, washing their hands and getting vaccinated when eligible.
The Brazilian variant, known as the P.1 variant, was first detected in the U.S. at the end of January. There are currently 48 cases nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The variant is considered a "variant of concern," meaning there is evidence of an increase in transmissibility, more severe disease and the potential for reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines, state health officials said.
Cases of the U.K. variant and of a homegrown New York variant have already been found in the state and have comprised a growing share of cases.
