First case of Brazilian COVID-19 variant in Massachusetts Share Updated: 5:35 PM EDT Mar 16, 2021 Share Updated: 5:35 PM EDT Mar 16, 2021
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Show Transcript FOR THE DISEASE’S SPREAD, DAVID? GOOD EVENING. THIS WAS THE VARIANCE THAT WAS CAUSING SOME BIG PROBLEMS FOR THE HEALTH SYSTEMS DOWN ITSELF ERICA AND EXPERTS SAY THEY ARE NOT SURPRISED IT HAS SHOWN UP HERE IT WAS A WOMAN IN HER 30S LIVING SOMEWHERE ON CAPE COD WHO TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS LATE LAST MONTH. NOW, GENETIC TESTING HAS REVEALED THE WOMAN CAUGHT A VARIANT OF THE VIRUS KNOWN AS P-1. T VARIANT DOES HAVE SOME VERY CONCERNING PROPERTIES YOU’RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE NOT SAID HOW THE WOMAN IS DOING OR IF SHE HAS RECENTLY TRAVELED. TRAVEL HISTORY MATTERS BECAUSE IT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IF THIS IS AN INTRODUCTI OR SOMETHING SAMPLED FROM SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY SPREADING. THE P-1 VARIANT WAS FIRST FOUND IN BRAZIL AND HAS SINCE