New COVID variant confirmed in Lucas County case

There’s a new warning from top U.S. health officials about coronavirus variants. Reports...
There’s a new warning from top U.S. health officials about coronavirus variants. Reports suggest those mutations could lead to a "rapid rise" in COVID-19 cases, if Americans become complacent.
Published: Mar. 23, 2021 at 12:26 PM EDT
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TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - A COVID variant first discovered in the United Kingdom has been detected in Lucas County.

The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department was notified by the Ohio Health Department that several recent cases have been associated with a SARS-COV-2 variant of concern, specifically the B.1.1.7 variant first detected in the United Kingdom.

The CDC said the B.1.1.7 variant has shown evidence of increased transmissibility and a potential increase in disease severity.

Currently, there are 128 known cases of B.1.1.7 in Ohio. At this time, ODH has not recommended any additional control measures.

All three vaccines available in Lucas County have shown evidence they protect against variants, including B.1.1.7.

Starting on Monday, all Ohioans aged 16 and older will be eligible to receive COVID-19 Vaccination. Eligible individuals can visit the Health Department’s website to schedule an appointment www.lucascountyhealth.com/covidvaccine.

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