First Case Of B117 Variant Reported In Lake Co.: Health Officials

LAKE COUNTY, IL — The first case of a coronavirus strain first identified in the United Kingdom has been detected in Lake County.

On Saturday, the Lake County Health Department announced the variant had officially made its way here. The first Lake County resident confirmed to have contracted the B.1.17 variant recently traveled internationally and quarantined once back in the U.S. after coming into contact with a sick person, according to a statement from the health department.

The person did not have any COVID-19 symptoms while quarantining, health officials said.

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In mid-January, public health officials announced the first case of the strain in Illinois about a week after the first B.1.1.7 case was reported in the United States in Colorado. It has since been found in several other states.

As of late last week, there's been more than 600 B.117 cases reported across 33 states in the U.S., according to the Center for Disease Control. In Illinois, as of Thursday, there were 17 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant.

Amid the report of the variant making its way into Lake County, local health officials are again urging all to continue to heed public health advice to wear masks, keep their distance from others and to avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, even as more vaccines are being doled out.

“While new cases of COVID-19 have been declining since January, the emergence of this new variant right here in Lake County underscores how important it is that remain vigilant,” said Mark Pfister, Executive Director of the Lake County Health Department.

It's not surprising that new variants are surfacing, since viruses constantly change and new variants are expected, public health officials have said. Health officials believe the B.1.17 variant of the COVID-19 virus spreads easier but is not believed to be more deadly.

While less common so far in the U.S., the 1.351 variant that originated in South Africa has been reported in two states — South Carolina and Maryland — as of late last week. The P.1 variant, which is believed to have come from Brazil, has been reported in one state, Minnesota, according to the latest CDC statistics.

“We expect to see more cases of these new variants in Lake County as they seem to spread more easily and quickly than other variants,” said Sana Ahmed, medical epidemiologist for the Lake County Health Department. “It is extremely important that you follow quarantine recommendations and get tested if you have traveled or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Answer the call of contact tracers to help us protect our communities. Wearing masks, washing your hands, and keeping your distance from others continue to be effective in preventing the spread of the virus, regardless of the strain.”

Studies currently show vaccines currently available for COVID-19 are also effective against the new strains, public health officials said. But that effectiveness continues to be studied.

The Center for Disease Control has more information available online regarding the new variants.