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The Maui News
The more transmissible variant of COVID-19 first found in South Africa has been detected in an Oahu resident, the state Department of Health said on Monday.
The DOH's State Laboratories Division said the Oahu resident had no travel history.
Also known as B.1.351, the variant has a mutation (N501Y) that makes it more transmissible and a separate mutation (E484K) that might make it less responsive to the antibodies produced when a person has COVID-19 or gets vaccinated, said Division Director Dr. Edward Desmond.
Both mutations had previously been seen in Hawaii, but this is the first time both mutations have been found together in one variant, the DOH said.
"While theoretical concerns have been raised about whether vaccination will be effective against new variant strains, the real-world data so far are reassuring," said Acting State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble. "A study in South Africa showed the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was effective in preventing serious disease requiring hospitalization and in preventing death even where B.1.351 was the predominant strain."
Two new cases of the B.1.1.7 variant, first found in the U.K., also have also been found, for a total of eight B.1.1.7 variant cases detected in the state to date. First detected in Hawaii in early February, the variant has the N501Y transmissibility mutation, but not the E484K mutation, the DOH said. The most recent cases of B.1.1.7 involve two Oahu residents, one who traveled to the Mainland, and a household contact of that individual.
Investigation into cases of recently detected variants is ongoing. Close contacts have been quarantined.
"Research shows community mitigation measures are effective in reducing the risk of transmission of even the most aggressive variants," said State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char. "This means wearing masks, maintaining physical distance and washing hands is more important than ever. The effectiveness of vaccines in preventing serious illness or death means we should get vaccinated as soon as it is our turn."
The State Laboratories Division continues to perform genomic sequencing weekly on COVID samples from across the state in order to detect variant strains, including strains of concern, with help from private sector laboratories, the DOH said.