County sees 3rd case of variant
“No obvious connection” to other cases of U.K. variant
A third case of the more-contagious coronavirus variant first discovered in the United Kingdom has been identified in Albany County, according to data released by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s office Tuesday.
His office announced 18 new cases of the variant Tuesday, bringing the total number detected in the state to date to 154.
A second case of another highly transmissible variant, first associated with South Africa, has also been identified in the state, his office announced. Both of those cases were found in Nassau County.
Evidence is still out on whether either variant is more deadly than the original SARS-COV-2 virus, but both are believed to be more transmissible — raising concerns of another surge just as the nation is beginning to recover from the last one. There is also concern the South African variant may be less susceptible to the new coronavirus vaccines.
Albany County spokeswoman Mary
Rozak said the county is aware that a third U.K. variant case was confirmed by the state’s Wadsworth Laboratory in Albany, but said it has “no obvious connection” to the first two cases that were announced in the county over the weekend.
On Monday, Albany County Health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen said the first two cases were identified in two teenagers at a congregate youth facility. The teenagers were not experiencing symptoms but were tested as a precautionary measure after someone else from the facility tested positive for coronavirus, she said.
The state was expected to do additional testing at the facility Monday, she said.
The Capital Region is home to at least 16 known cases of the U.K. variant: seven in Saratoga County, six in Warren County and three in Albany County. Variants are identified through genomic sequencing.
Another death as hospitalizations fall
Albany County announced another death due to coronavirus on Tuesday. The victim, a man in his 60s, is the 346th county resident known to have died from COVID -19.
While deaths from coronavirus are still occurring regularly, the Capital Region continues to see a decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations. Capital Region hospitals reported treating 166 coronavirus patients Monday, two fewer than the day before.
As of Monday, the eight-county region was averaging 234 new cases of the virus a day, according to a Times Union analysis of county data. That’s up from 197 the day before (increases are common on Mondays due to delayed weekend reporting), but down from a high of 1,009 observed Jan. 10.