Just when it seemed things couldn’t get any worse, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Wednesday that the COVID-19 variant, originally found in the UK and then Tuesday in Colorado, has been detected in Southern California.
"An hour or so ago we were informed that this new variant, this new strain that we’ve identified from the United Kingdom…. and in Colorado yesterday has been identified here in the state of California, in Southern California," Newsom said in a joint news conference with Dr. Anthony Fauci.
"I don't think that Californians should feel this is something odd. This is expected,” Fauci said.
During Wednesday's San Diego County COVID-19 briefing it was announced that the mutant strain was detected in San Diego.
The case was found in a 30-year-old man with no travel history, who began developing symptoms on December 27. He was tested Tuesday, December 29, where the new strain was uncovered. According to CBS 8 San Diego, he has not been hospitalized and contact tracing underway. One member of his household has become symptomatic and was tested Wednesday.
"The detection of the first case of this United Kingdom variant strain in California is concerning,” said CHHS Secretary Mark Ghaly. “As we learn more about how this patient contracted this strain, I want to stress the importance of continuing our mitigation efforts to prevent COVID-19 and this new strain. This includes masks, physical distance, and during this current surge in California, staying at home and not mixing outside households, and not traveling.”
Fauci has stated that although the variant is more transmissible, it is not more virulent and there’s no reason to believe it is less likely to respond to a vaccine.
Wednesday a Colorado National Guardsman was identified as the first person in the U.S. to be diagnosed with the variant. Health officials have said a second Guard member may have it as well.
“The virus is becoming more fit, and we’re like a deer in the headlights,” warned Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute.