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Another variant of virus found in Dickinson

A variant of the COVID-19 virus that first surfaced in South Africa has been confirmed in Dickinson County, local health officials announced Wednesday.

The Dickinson-Iron District Health Department was notified late Tuesday that genetic testing tied a recent positive to the B1.351 variant, which is considered to be roughly 50% more transmissible than the standard SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to the DIDHD.

“The presence of this particular variant is alarming because it is less responsive to our known treatment options, like monoclonal antibody treatments,” Ruth Manier, director of community health services, said in a news release. “There are concerns about immunity protection from vaccinations and natural immunity following a COVID infection — this could possibly mean an increase in reinfections for those who have already experienced a COVID infection.”

This is the second coronavirus variant identified in Dickinson County in the past two weeks, Manier pointed out. The B.1.1.7 variant, originally recorded in Great Britain, also has surfaced in both Dickinson and in Florence County in Wisconsin.

“We are noticing that cases being identified are in a younger population,” Manier stated in the news release. “It is important to remember that we do not understand what the long-term consequences may be of experiencing an infection.”

The DIDHD continues to recommend the public get vaccinated, maintain social distancing, wear a mask, practice good hand hygiene, avoid large social gatherings and take other precautions to mitigate the risk of contracting or spreading the virus.

The department now offers the vaccine to anyone age 16 and older. Adults 18 and older can schedule an appointment, as can parents who want the vaccine for their 16- or 17-year-old children. The DIDHD office number is 906-774-1868 for Dickinson County and 906-265-9913 for Iron County, or go online to didhd.org.

State COVID-19 data Wednesday showed eight new cases in Dickinson County, along with a new death attributed to the virus.

For the entire Upper Peninsula, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ coronavirus website Wednesday listed 99 new confirmed cases: 28 in Marquette County, 21 in Delta County, 12 in Houghton County, nine in Chippewa County, eight in Dickinson County, six in Mackinac County, five in Menominee County, four in Gogebic County, two in Luce and Baraga counties and one each in Schoolcraft and Alger counties. Dickinson County had the only new death reported, while Delta County’s toll was reduced by one.

Using only the state’s figures, the Upper Peninsula as of Wednesday has had 18,132 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 402 deaths.

Across the U.P., the MDHHS data site Wednesday had Keweenaw County at 132 confirmed cases and 31 probable, and one confirmed death and one probable death; Luce County, 153 confirmed cases and 154 probable, one probable death; Schoolcraft County, 274 confirmed cases and 50 probable, four deaths and one probable; Alger County, 298 confirmed, 181 probable and one death, four probable; Mackinac County, 357 confirmed cases and 210 probable, three deaths; Ontonagon County, 380 confirmed, 56 probable and 20 deaths, one probable; Baraga County, 528 confirmed cases, 110 probable and 33 deaths; Iron County, 895 confirmed cases and 62 probable, 42 deaths and nine probable; Chippewa County, 950 confirmed cases and 1,269 probable, and 26 deaths, five probable; Gogebic County, 989 confirmed cases and 357 probable, 22 deaths and 28 probable; Menominee County, 1,689 confirmed cases, 293 probable and 39 deaths, two probable; Dickinson County, 2,276 confirmed cases and 285 probable, 56 deaths and 16 probable; Houghton County, 2,376 confirmed cases, 583 probable, 32 deaths and eight probable; Delta County, 2,965 confirmed cases and 564 probable, 67 deaths and 19 probable; and Marquette County, 3,870 confirmed cases, 720 probable and 56 deaths, one probable. State numbers are updated almost daily but can lag behind local reports or have other discrepancies.

The MDHHS on Wednesday posted 7,955 confirmed new coronavirus positives in Michigan for a total to date of 764,519. The state recorded 33 new deaths to reach 16,619.

For Wisconsin counties in the region, the state Department of Health Services’ COVID-19 data site Wednesday had four more confirmed positives in Marinette County, two in Florence County and one in Vilas County.

The DHS on Wednesday had Marinette County with 4,038 confirmed cases, 428 probable cases and 65 deaths, three probable deaths; Vilas County, 2,214 confirmed, 144 probable and 39 deaths, two probable; Forest County, 944 confirmed, 76 probable and 23 deaths, three probable; Iron County, 571 confirmed, 117 probable and 21 deaths, 19 probable; and Florence County, 440 confirmed, 51 probable and 12 deaths. As in Michigan, state numbers are updated daily but can lag behind local reports or have other discrepancies.

Wisconsin added 929 new positives Wednesday for a total of 587,561 confirmed COVID-19 cases to date. The state listed five new deaths Wednesday to reach 6,695.

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