Pasadena Confirms First Case Of More Contagious UK Variant
PASADENA (CBSLA) — Pasadena says it has confirmed its first case of the UK variant B.1.1.7.
The Pasadena Public Health Department says it received its first confirmed report of infection of the variant B.1.1.7 in a Pasadena resident on Friday. That person was identified only as an adult, and no other information was released about the patient.
The variant was identified by the state's genomic surveillance testing of laboratory specimens. Pasadena public health officials say they have linked 10 other laboratory-confirmed cases among Pasadena residents through contract tracing, but sequencing was not available for those cases.
"These cases illustrate why it is so important to limit non-essential travel and mixing households as much as possible during a pandemic," Pasadena's health officer Dr. Ying-Ying Goh said in a statement. "This is also a stark reminder that we cannot let our guard down."
The UK variant spreads more easily and quickly than other variants, and likely causes more severe disease based on hospitalizations and case fatality rates, health officials said. Cases of the UK variant have been on the rise in Los Angeles County, and have also been detected in San Clemente in Orange County, Big Bear in San Bernardino County, in Ventura County's wastewater, Riverside County, and in Santa Barbara County.
Pasadena public health officials say the confirmed case of the UK variant is a reminder that people should watch for symptoms of COVID-19 if they must travel. Pasadena residents who travel out-of-state are also required to self-quarantine for 10 days after arrival, public health officials said.
