First case of Brazilian variant of COVID-19 in New York detected in Brooklyn resident
- Governor’s office says first confirmed case of Brazilian variant COVID-19 P.1
- The case of the variant has been confirmed by scientists at Mount Sinai Hospital and verified by laboratories at the Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center.
- Brazilian variant considered more contagious than first version of coronavirus
- The variant was first discovered in the United States in January in Minnesota, according to the CDC.
A Brooklyn resident with no travel history is the first person in New York City to have a confirmed case of the Brazilian variant of COVID-19, Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office said on Saturday.
The first case of COVID-19 P.1 in the state has been identified by scientists at Manhattan’s Mount Sinai Hospital and verified by the Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center Laboratories, the New York Post reported.
The State Department of Health is working to learn more about the patient, who is 90, and potential contacts, the office said.
New Yorkers have been urged to wear masks when using public transport to stop the spread of the virus. A Brazilian variant was confirmed in the city on Saturday
–
The Brazilian variant is considered to be more contagious than the first version of the coronavirus. Current vaccines may not be as effective against it as earlier viral variants.
The variant was first discovered in the United States in January in Minnesota, the federal Centers for Disease Control reported.
There are currently 48 cases in 15 states, including Massachusetts and New Jersey, the CDC website said.
–
