Two UK Variant B.1.1.7 SARS CoV2 Sequences From Montgomery Co Pennsylvania

[niman]

CDC has released (at GISAID) two B.1.1.7 SARS CoV2 sequences collected in Pennsylvania Jan 10-15.

USA/PA-CDC-STM-0000013-H08/2021 1/15 Montgomery County Pennsylvania
USA/PA-CDC-STM-0000025-C03/2021 1/10 Montgomery County Pennsylvania

Edited January 30, 2021 by niman

[niman]

USA/PA-CDC-STM-0000013-H08/2021 1/15 Montgomery County Pennsylvania matched B.1.1.7 with 3 AAs deleted in Spike protein, 3 AAs deleted in NSP6 and Q27 stop codon in NS8.

map update

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1aQDSL2LwQFbuoCAg_nIOPK8D-LIJ5MYd&ll=40.49873797211126%2C-79.21720721085097&z=8

 

Edited January 30, 2021 by niman

[niman]

USA/PA-CDC-STM-0000025-C03/2021 1/10 Montgomery County Pennsylvania matched B.1.1.7 with 3 AAs deleted in Spike protein, 3 AAs deleted in NSP6 and Q27 stop codon in NS8.

map update

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1aQDSL2LwQFbuoCAg_nIOPK8D-LIJ5MYd&ll=40.49873797211126%2C-79.21720721085097&z=8

Edited January 30, 2021 by niman

[niman]

A 30-year-old bartender with no travel history is the first in Montgomery County to test positive for the more contagious COVID-19 variant traced to the U.K., health officials announced.

The bartender had worked a double shift the day before testing positive, Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Dr. Valerie Arkoosh said during a virtual news conference.

The bartender also said his place of employment -- which was not identified -- has had multiple COVID-19 cases among staff dating back to November 2020, Arkoosh said.

The 30-year-old works at a county bar and restaurant. According to the bartender, the restaurant has had multiple COVID-19 cases in staff members going back to November 2020. Officials would not name the restaurant or say where it is located in the county.

The bartender started showing symptoms on January 13, according to Arkoosh.

"The symptoms included fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headaches, sore throat, stuffy nose, cough, loss of taste and smell, abdominal pain and diarrhea," Arkoosh said.

The bartender tested positive this week for the U.K. variant, after first testing positive for COVID-19 on January 15.

In recent months, variants have been identified in the U.K., South Africa, Brazil and in the U.S. Health officials say there's good evidence the U.K. variant is more transmissible, spreading more easily and more quickly.

"The individual has no travel history. So this is just a reminder that it is quite likely that this more contagious U.K. variant is here in Montgomery County," Arkoosh said.

The bartender worked a double shift the day before symptoms began, Arkoosh said.

Arkoosh said the county's Office of Public Health completed contact tracing on January 25, the next day after being notified the individual had tested positive for the U.K. variant.

 

"If you needed another reminder to be careful in terms of wearing a mask, keeping your hands cleaned, and watching your distance from others, this is certainly the wake up call to do so," Arkoosh said.