Health officials in Santa Clara County have detected their second case of the South African strain of the coronavirus, the fourth confirmed case of the B.1.351 variant in California.
The unidentified individual was tested earlier this month, with the infection believed to have derived from community transmission. Travel is not thought to have played a part in the virus transmission in this case, an email said.
Earlier this year, the county's first case of the South African variant was detected from an individual who is thought to have picked it up while traveling.
"Considering the national trends, we have been operating under the assumption that these variants were circulating at some level in our communities," said Dr. Sara Cody, Santa Clara County Health Officer and Director of Public Health. "This latest case confirms that we do have community transmission, and reminds us to not let down our guard in the middle of this pandemic."
It's one of several strains of the coronavirus detected in California.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the first cases of the so-called New York variant were detected in early March. Cases of the West Coast, U.K., South African and Brazilian variants have been reported in the Bay Area. Early tests suggest the South African and Brazilian variants may be less susceptible to antibody drugs or antibody-rich blood from COVID-19 survivors, as reported by the Associated Press.
Health officials have said the West Coast variant has been observed as a particularly contagious strain, likely the dominant one in California.
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