HOUSTON (Talk1370.com) -- The first known Texas case of a COVID-19 variant first seen in the United Kingdom has been identified in a Harris County resident, officials announced Thursday.
The adult male resident had no history of travel, according to Harris County health officials.
"The fact that this person had no travel history suggests this variant is already circulating in Texas," said Dr. John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services. "Genetic variations are the norm among viruses, and it’s not surprising that it arrived here given how rapidly it spreads. This should make us all redouble our commitment to the infection prevention practices that we know work: masks any time you’re around people you don’t live with, social distancing, and personal and environmental hygiene."
The B.1.1.7 variant was first identified in the United Kingdom in the fall and appears to spread much more easily from person to person than most strains of the coronavirus. The current scientific evidence is that the variant does not cause more severe disease and that vaccines are expected to be effective against it. It is thought to be responsible for only a small proportion of the current COVID-19 cases in Texas and the United States.