In yet another sign that 2021 is not yet shaping up to be such a clean break from 2020, the much more transmissible variant of Covid-19 that first showed up in Great Britain late last year has now made it to Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan announced today.
According to Hogan’s office, the two cases involve people in the same household. One of the two had traveled internationally. Neither have required hospitalization. Hogan’s office issued a press release saying the two were in the “Baltimore area.” A report from Washington’s ABC7 placed them in Anne Arundel County.
The state has launched “extensive contact tracing” for the two and says there’s been no evidence of additional spread. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 72 cases of the variant, known as B-117, have been identified nationally.
In a series of tweets after announcing the news, Hogan sought to emphasize that there’s no evidence that the new strain is more deadly—only that it appears more easily spread.
.@MDHealthDept has confirmed two cases of COVID-19 in Maryland residents caused by the new SARS-CoV-2 variant strain known as B-117.
Read the full news release: https://t.co/2VXFI9Wxv2
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) January 12, 2021
We want to emphasize that this strain has not been shown to cause more severe illness or increased risk of death; however, it has been shown to be more transmissible. There is also no evidence suggesting that the available COVID-19 vaccines are less effective on this strain.
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) January 12, 2021
While we closely monitor this new development, we encourage Marylanders to practice caution, and to continue wearing your masks, washing your hands, and practicing physical distancing.
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) January 12, 2021
