CDC: COVID Variant Map Update (Feb 25th)

 

#15,834

The CDC has been posting updated interactive maps of the detection of COVID Variants within the United States since the first week of January, and updated those numbers against last night posting more than a 25% increase since Sunday night's update. 

 

Despite recent reports suggesting that variants detected in New York (B.1.526) and in California (B.1.427/B.1.429) (see CIDRAP's New COVID-19 variants found in New York, California) may be of equal concern, these maps for now continue to focus on the `three international' variants of greatest concern.

• B.1.1.7 aka `UK' variant
• B.1.351 aka `South African' variant
• P.1 ak `Brazilian' variant

Florida, with just over 500 variant detections, continues to lead the nation while 4 states report none. But the reality is, many states are doing very little genomic testing.  Regardless, the numbers reported by the CDC should be assumed to represent a tiny fraction of actual cases in the population.

Download Accessible Data excel icon[CSV – 665 KB]

The emerging variants CDC is closely monitoring have mutations in the virus genome that alter the characteristics and cause the virus to act differently in ways that are significant to public health (e.g., causes more severe disease, spreads more easily between humans, requires different treatments, changes the effectiveness of current vaccines). It’s important to understand that genetic mutations are expected, and some variants can spread and become predominant while others subside.

02/11/21 – To maintain a limited number of colors and allow for an easier comparison between states, the data ranges have changed from 1-50 to 1-100.

*The cases identified above are based on a sampling of SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens and do not represent the total number of B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and P.1 lineage cases that may be circulating in the United States and may not match numbers reported by states, territories, tribes, and local officials.

†Numbers will be updated on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday by 7:00 pm.

Learn more about Genomic Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 Variants.