More contagious UK coronavirus variant detected in Lake County

The more contagious and potentially deadlier U.K. variant of the coronavirus has been detected in Lake County.

Dr. Gary Pace, the county’s public health officer, said that two local cases of the variant have been identified, marking the second appearance of the U.K. strain in the North Coast region following a positive case in Sonoma County in early March.

The California Department of Public Health uncovered the variant infections in Lake County after local officials sent virus samples from residents who tested positive in mid-February to state labs to screen for mutated versions of virus. The state alerted the county on Tuesday about the confirmation of the COVID-19 strains.

Pace said the county is working to figure out how and where the two individuals may have contracted the virus, though contract tracing is difficult since the cases are 6 weeks old. He was not able to provide additional information about the cases.

The discovery of the variant, known as B.1.1.7, in Lake County comes as national health officials are concerned it could soon become the dominant strain of the virus nationwide. As of Friday, over 12,000 cases have been identified across 51 cities, states or U.S. territories, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the Bay Area, Santa Clara County health officials on Thursday announced they had identified 92 local cases of the U.K. variant.

The CDC classified the strain as a “variant of concern,” due to evidence showing it’s around 50% more transmissible than the original strain of the coronavirus and is likely more fatal. However, the variant does not appear to be more resistant to COVID-19 vaccines.

With vaccine eligibility expanded in California on Thursday to residents aged 50 to 64, Pace stressed the importance of getting shots in arms, describing it as “race to keep in front of the variants.” In Lake County, more than a third of residents over 16 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to local public health data.

Health officials are urging people to continue wearing masks, avoiding large gatherings and maintaining prudent social distance as virus infections have begun again to tick up nationwide.

In Lake County and the broader North Coast, cases remain flat or are trending slightly downward. Over the past week, Lake County averaged 4.2 new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, compared to over 66 cases per 100,000 people during the local peak of the pandemic in December, according to state data.

You can reach Staff Writer Ethan Varian at ethan.varian@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5412. On Twitter @ethanvarian