DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF) – UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists announced on Thursday that they have identified the first two cases of the B.1.617.2 (Indian origin) variant of COVID-19 infection in North Texas using next-generation sequencing technologies along with targeted PCR testing.
According to officials at UT Southwestern, the emergence of the Indian variant is concerning because it is believed to be more contagious than the original variant.
“What [doctors] are very concerned about are people who have not been vaccinated,” said DFW Hospital Council, CEO, Steve Love. “This is such a contagious variant, they’re fearful that the unvaccinated people could contract it very easily.”
While the B.1.617.2 variant may be more transmissible, preliminary laboratory research demonstrates that current COVID-19 vaccines are effective and provide protection.
“The identification of the B.1.617.2 variant again reinforces the importance of vaccination – which helps slow the transmission of all types of virus and protects against more severe disease,” says Jeffrey SoRelle, M.D., assistant instructor of pathology at UT Southwestern. “In particular, the vaccines appear to provide protection against more severe disease and death, emphasizing the importance of continued efforts to encourage vaccination.”
UT Southwestern sequencing protocols show the U.K. variant remains dominant in North Texas. It is found in about 70% of sampled individuals, followed by the Indian and Brazil variants found in 6%. The California and New York variants remain at about 3 percent of sampled individuals.
Listen to Clayton Neville’s story below:
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