WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI — Health officials have identified additional cases of the COVID-19 B.1.1.7 variant in two women living in Washtenaw County.
The two new cases are in women who were close contacts of a Washtenaw County woman who tested positive for the variant after traveling to the United Kingdom, where B.1.1.7 originated, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Washtenaw County Health Department officials said.
All three women are associated with the University of Michigan, officials said.
Since MDHHS announced the first case of the variant in Michigan on Saturday, Jan. 16, seven additional COVID-19 infections have been linked to that case, officials said. It is not yet known if five other close contacts of the woman who have tested positive for COVID-19 are infected with the variant, officials said.
All eight people have been directed to isolate, officials said.
While presence of this variant is detected with current testing methods, additional sequencing is needed to distinguish it from other more common COVID-19 variants circulating in the community, officials said.
The B.1.1.7 variant appears to be more contagious but not necessarily more serious than the primary strain of COVID-19, health officials said. Based on current evidence, health officials also said the current COVID-19 vaccine is effective against this variant.
MDHHS recommends Michigan residents do the following to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the new variant:
- Get vaccinated for COVID-19.
- Wear a mask around others.
- Stay six feet apart from others.
- Wash hands often.
- Ventilate indoor spaces.
More information about the COVID-19 B.1.1.7 variant can be found on the state’s website.
READ MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:
Contagious coronavirus variant identified in Michigan
7 COVID-19 cases tied to Washtenaw County woman who has UK variant
For Michiganders newly eligible for vaccine, excitement is high but details are few