Variant Virus Originating from South Africa Spreads in the US

Community Transmission Cases Reported in Maryland

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Following South Carolina, a variant of the coronavirus originating from South Africa has been detected in Maryland.

On the 30th (local time), according to the Washington Post and others, Maryland health authorities reported one case infected with the South African variant virus known as 'B.1.351'. As a result, the number of states in the U.S. where the South African variant has been found has increased to two.

The South African variant virus, like the variants from the UK and Brazil, is known to be more contagious than the original novel coronavirus.

However, scientists report that this variant does not cause more severe illness or increase the fatality rate.

The infected person in Maryland is an adult living in the Baltimore area who has no history of overseas travel, suggesting infection through community transmission.

Larry Hogan, Governor of Maryland, stated, "Comprehensive contact tracing activities are underway to quickly identify, isolate, and test potential contacts," and strongly urged Maryland residents to be especially cautious to suppress the risk of further spread of this variant.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of the 29th, 434 cases of the UK variant virus have been detected across 30 states in the U.S.

By state, there are 125 cases in Florida, 113 in California, 42 in New York, and 22 in Michigan, among others.

Meanwhile, on the 29th, the Arizona Department of Health Services announced that three cases of the UK variant virus were detected for the first time in the state.

In the U.S., two cases of the South African variant have been reported in South Carolina, and one case of the Brazilian variant has been confirmed in Minnesota.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.