RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health announced the Commonwealth has its first two cases of the COVID-19 variant first identified in Brazil.
The variant, known as P.1, was found in a person who lives in the northwestern part of the state who had traveled domestically during the transmission time. The second person lives in the eastern part of Virginia, and has no recent history of travel.
Experts say there is a higher risk of transmission in this variant but at this time there is no evidence it causes more severe disease. To date, the variant has been identified in at least 22 other states.
The VDH says viruses mutate all the time, and new variants of COVID-19 can be expected as the disease spreads. Health officials say the best way to prevent infection is to continue with mitigation efforts that include social distancing, wearing face masks, avoiding large crowds, and get the vaccine.