2 California variants of COVID reported in Virginia

Two new variants of COVID-19, first identified in California, have been found in Virginia, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

Variants B.1.427 and B.1.429 were identified in Virginia samples collected between December 2020 and February 2021 from state residents. The variants, which first emerged in California last summer, are associated with increased person-to-person transmission of COVID-19. There is no evidence at currently that infections with these variants cause more severe disease. These two variants were only recently added to CDC’s Variant of Concern list.

With the identification of these new variant cases, Virginia now has identified a total of 14 cases of the B.1.427 variant, nine cases of the B.1.429 variant, 26 cases of the B.1.351 variant (first identified in South Africa) and 127 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant (first identified in the United Kingdom). With the combined state and national surveillance efforts, officials believe it’s likely that additional cases with SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern will be identified.

Viruses change all the time, and VDH expects to see new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as disease spreads.

Health officials are urging people to continue complying with with mitigation measures, such as social distancing, mask-wearing and avoiding large groups in order to reduce transmission of existing variants and the possible development of new ones.

Details about COVID-19 variants are available at the VDH Variants website and the CDC COVID-19 Variants website.