COVID Variant Cases Jump In IL

ACROSS ILLINOIS — COVID-19 variant cases has jumped by 62.8 percent, according to state public health data. As of Tuesday, there are 69 confirmed cases of the B.1.1.7 variant, which was first reported in the United Kingdom and initially identified in Illinois in mid-January.

Meanwhile, there's been one person who has tested positive for the B.1.351 variant.

On Thursday, the IDPH reported 44 total B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 cases. In the week before that, no new cases were reported. The state health department updates its variant stats on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Public health officials are also monitoring a variant known as P.1, which first emerged in Brazil.
There have been no identified cases of the P.1 variant in Illinois as of Tuesday.

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Health officials say the variants seem to spread more easily and quickly than other variants, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19. An increase in the number of cases will put more strain on health care resources, lead to more hospitalizations, and potentially more deaths, according to the IDPH.

So far, studies suggest that antibodies generated through vaccination with currently authorized vaccines recognize these variants but more studies are underway, according to state health officials.

Health officials are urging residents to continue to practice physical distancing, use of masks, hand hygiene, and isolation and quarantine.

To date, 1.189 million people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Illinois and there have been 20,583 deaths.

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