Variant found in Clare; CMU sees new cases
A more easily transmissible and potentially deadlier variant of the SARS-COV-2 virus has been identified in Clare County, while confirmed cases at Central Michigan University continues to mount.
Central Michigan District Health Department has reported that the B.1.1.7 variant has been identified in four of its six counties: Clare, Osceola, Gladwin and Roscommon. Isabella and Arenac are the health department’s two other counties.
No details were provided about how many cases were identified in Clare County, where an additional 15 confirmed cases were reported over the weekend. Clare County has had a cumulative total of 1,469 cases, with 68 deaths.
The B.1.1.7 variant is believed to have emerged in the United Kingdom in September 2020 and quickly became the predominant
strain in that country. It was discovered in the United States by January, and in Michigan later in the month.
Michigan is one of the nation’s B.1.1.7 hotspots.
It is believed that all three vaccines authorized for use by the Food and Drug Administration are effective as reducing the risk of serious disease from the variant.
Confirmed cases of the disease continue to rise rapidly in Isabella County, with an additional 53 reported over the weekend. Many of them continue to be reported on Central Michigan University’s campus. Seventy-six residents of the county have died from the disease.
An additional 12 cases were reported there over a two-day period over the weekend. The sevenday rolling average of new cases on campus has ticked up modestly to 5.57.
In Gratiot County, an additional 19 cases were reported for a cumulative total of 2,546, with 101 deaths.
Elsewhere in mid-michigan, one new death was reported, with new and cumulative cases and deaths as follows:
• In Gladwin County, nine new confirmed cases were reported for a cumulative total of 1,338, with 40 deaths;
• In Mecosta County, 52 additional cases were reported for a cumulative total of 2,101, with 22 deaths;
• In Midland County, one new death was reported for a total of 65, with 58 additional new cases for a cumulative total of 4,908, with 63 deaths; and,
• In Montcalm County, an additional 19 cases were reported for a cumulative total of 3,501, with 88 deaths.
Statewide, 8 new deaths were reported over the weekend for a total of 16,034 and another 8,202 cases were reported for a cumulative total of 660,771.