NBC News has a new map that can help you keep track of where to find the novel coronavirus variants in the United States.
- The map — which you can view on NBC News’ website here — tracks the U.K. variant, the South Africa variant and the Brazilian variant of the coronavirus.
Details:
- The map so far shows Utah only has the U.K. variant of the virus.
- South Carolina is the only state noted to have the South African variant.
- Minnesota is the only state with the U.K. and Brazilian variants.
- 26 states have only the U.K. variant.
Deeper dive
South Africa variant: South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control said Thursday that the novel coronavirus variant that originated in South Africa has found its way to the United States, as I wrote about for the Deseret News.
Brazil variant: the new COVID-19 variant that originated in Brazil was found in Minnesota earlier this week, as I wrote about for the Deseret News. According to NPR, the Brazilian variant, called the P.1 variant, has been moving through Manaus, Brazil, since December 2020.
UK variant: The U.K. variant was discovered in Utah. A man from Salt Lake County tested positive for COVID-19 last month for the variant, having only experienced mild symptoms, as the Deseret News reported.
What’s next:
White House Senior Adviser for Covid Response Andy Slavitt told CNN that the United States can defeat the variants — like the one from South Africa, which was recently discovered in the United States — with the right tools.
- “Nothing about this news says we can’t defeat this thing,” he told CNN. “It just means we need more tools, and we need to be more united in doing it.”