The number of COVID-19 variants is increasing in Indiana.
As of Thursday, the B.1.1.7 variant originally identified in the U.K. is up to 1,581 cases. There are 253 cases of the variant originally identified in California, 136 cases of the P.1 variant originally identified in Brazil, and 15 cases of the variant originally identified in South Africa.
Thursday’s dashboard also showed three cases of a new B.1.2/P.1 variant.
During the Indiana Department of Health’s press briefing Wednesday afternoon, Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said the number variant cases have increased over 1,100 from two weeks ago.
“All of these variants have increased significantly over the past two weeks and they now represent almost 42 percent of the samples that we have sequenced,” stated Dr. Box. “Our statewide positivity rate has also increased to 5.3 percent. This is a reflection of the variants which are much more infectious, and a decline in the testing recently.”
Dr. Box added that the current available COVID-19 vaccines protect against these variants.
Dr. Box continued, “We continue to look at that on a regular basis. The B.1.1.7 variant does tend to be more transmissible and spread more easily. It may be more severe and put more people in the hospital, but we really do feel that our vaccines cover the B.1.1.7 variant. As we see increasing variants, there will be more evaluation of individuals that are hospitalized. We’re looking at everybody that gets hospitalized with COVID and actually sequencing their COVID-19 to determine if that’s from a variant. As we collect more data, not only here in the State of Indiana, but across the nation, we’ll have more information about these other variants of concern.”
Until Hoosiers are fully vaccinated, Dr. Box encourages everyone to continue the mitigating practices against COVID-19 that she says have been effective to date, which include wearing a mask in public, washing hands frequently, and maintaining a social distance.
