First confirmed case of more transmissible P.1 (Brazil) variant found in Whatcom County
The first confirmed case of the more transmissible P.1 (Brazil) variant of COVID-19 has been identified in Whatcom County, the Washington State Department of Health reported on Thursday, April 22.
Whatcom County is now one of seven counties within the state to have at least one confirmed P.1 variant case, according to latest SARS-CoV-2 Sequencing and Variants in Washington state report released Thursday. A total of 116 P.1 variant cases have been diagnosed in the state — its fourth-most common variant and an increase of 82 from last week’s report (71%). The P.1 cases represent 4.2% of the 2,744 variant cases detected in the state.
“It’s very disturbing we’re seeing such a rapid increase in P.1 while we’re on the border with British Columbia that has had a very significant P.1 outbreak,” State Epidemiologist and Acting State Health Officer Dr. Scott Lindquist said during an online briefing Wednesday, adding that though the border is closed to non-essential travel, the P.1 variant can still cross into Washington state.
As of April 7, British Columbia was reporting 878 P.1 cases, according to a CTV News story, though the article stated that the number of reported cases of variants, including the P.1 might be severely under-reported.
The P.1 variant is the third COVID variant to be detected in Whatcom County, following the B.1.1.7 (United Kingdom) variant — first reported Feb. 23 — and the B.1.427 (California) variant — first reported March 25.
“We expect to see more cases and more variants over time, as the state is now sequencing over 10% of positive PCRs (Polymerase Chain Reaction tests),” Whatcom County Health Officer Dr. Greg Stern told The Bellingham Herald in an email. “The largest increase in variants statewide (in this report over last) was the P.1 variant, and it was detected in King County two months ago, so we have expected regional spread.”
As with the first two variants found in Whatcom County, the P.1 is categorized as a variant of concern by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — the middle of its three variant classifications — because there is evidence it could impact diagnosis, treatment and the efficacy of vaccines and there is evidence of increased disease transmissibility and severity.
All three variants spread more easily and could increase in prevalence quickly.
A CDC report April 10 listed the P.1 variant as the second most common in the United States behind only the B.1.1.7 variant.
The P.1 variant has “moderate” ability to evade COVID-19 vaccines, according to a WebMD.com article, which is the same as the B.1.427 variant and higher than the “minimal” ability of the B.1.1.7 variant.
A new study in Manaus, Brazil — the site where the variant is thought to have first appeared in November of 2020 — reported the P.1 variant may be twice as transmissible as other strains of the virus and could avoid up to half of immune defenses the body built in previous infections, according to an April 14 article by Science News.
The new study showed those who had earlier COVID-19 infection have approximately 54% to 79% protection from the P.1 variant, leaving them vulnerable to be infected a second time, according to Science News.
However the study was unclear if the P.1 variant was deadlier or more likely to make people sicker than other COVID variants, Science News reported.
“The currently available vaccines still demonstrate efficacy at reducing hospitalizations and deaths with the major variants of concern,” Stern wrote. “And vaccination is the key to reducing the spread and development of more transmissible and immune-resistant variants, so it’s vital that folks get vaccinated. All of the other measures (masks, distancing, limiting size of gatherings, handwashing) are still critical tools in slowing transmission of variants too.”
Other variants
The P.1 variant reported by the state was the only new confirmed variant case within Whatcom County last week, according to the state’s report.
Whatcom County still has 27 confirmed cases of the B.1.1.7 variant reported so far, which is third in the state behind King (93 confirmed cases) and Snohomish (57 cases) counties. And it still has three confirmed cases of the B.1.427 variant reported so far, which is 10th-most in the state.
No other variants have been detected in Whatcom County.
Here are the statewide variant totals reported Thursday:
▪ B.1.1.7 (U.K.) variant: 876 cases — up 376 from last week.
▪ B.1.351 (South Africa) variant: 26 cases — up four from last week.
▪ P.1 (Brazil) variant: 116 cases — up 82 from last week.
▪ B.1.427 (California) variant: 236 cases — up 30 from last week.
▪ B.1.429 (California) variant: 1,391 cases — up 342 from last week.
▪ B.1.526 (New York) variant: 53 cases — up 40 from last week.
▪ B.1.525 (New York) variant: 21 cases — up three from last week.
▪ P.2 (Brazil) variant: 26 cases — up 10 from last week.
There has been a 32% increase statewide in the number of specimens that are testing positive for variants, Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah said during a Department of Health briefing on Wednesday.
Shah said the state is tracking the U.K variant.
— Kie Relyea (krelyea@bhamherald.com) contributed to this story.
This story was originally published April 22, 2021 at 11:10 AM.
