Two COVID-19 mutation cases from the U.K. found in Washington State

-Snohomish County, WA

The Mutation of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 that spreads easier and has a higher rate of transmission and is 15% more deadlier has been found in two people here in Washington.

According to King 5 News out of Seattle, The UW Medicine Virology Lab detected two cases of the variant in specimens from two Snohomish County residents. The lab screened 1,035 samples between Dec. 25 and Jan. 20 to detect mutations associated with the variant, which was first identified in the United Kingdom.

King 5 also talked with assistant professor of the Clinical Virology Lab Dr. Alex Greninger from the University of Washington “We thought this variant of concern was here and now we know it’s here. It was a huge team effort by the UW Medicine Virology Lab and required development of several new rapid tests to detect and confirm it,”

In September the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 was found in south east England and had a significant presence in London. The CDC and Dr. Fauci has warned that if nothing is done to stop the spread and target where this new mutation is at it will become the most dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States.