Credit Department of Health and Social Care
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Last Monday, in UK PHE: Statement On 6 Cases Of COVID Variant P.1 In the UK, we learned that only 5 of the first 6 community cases of the P.1 variant picked up by genomic testing had been identified, and contacted. Only the general location was known.
This set off alarm bells, and triggered an intense search for the missing case.
While less is known about the P.1 variant than the B.1.1.7 (aka `UK') variant or the B.1.351 variant first identified in South Africa, the rapidly deteriorating conditions in Brazil (see FIOCRUZ Special Bulletin: Brazil's Worsening Pandemic Situation), combined with a high re-infection rate (see The Lancet: Resurgence of COVID-19 in Manaus, Brazil, Despite High Seroprevalence), have raised serious concerns over its international spread.
Yesterday Public Health England announced they had identified, and contacted, the missing individual, and that the subject and his family apparently went into self-isolation following their exposure.
Contact tracers successfully identify sixth case of P.1 Variant of Concern
Public Health England (PHE) and NHS Test and Trace teams have successfully located the third individual in England who tested positive for the P.1 Variant of Concern that originated in Manaus, Brazil.
Tracing teams narrowed their search to a small number of households in Croydon, South London, when an individual from the borough made themselves known by responding to calls made by specialist contact tracers.
NHS Test and Trace were then able to match the barcode from the individual’s testing pack to the variant test result.PHE is now carrying out enhanced contact tracing with the individual and other members of their household. The case had been in contact with an individual who travelled from Brazil in early February.Although investigations are ongoing, current early indications are that all members of the household isolated for the correct amount of time after the traveller returned and after the case developed symptoms.Doctor Fu-Meng Khaw, Strategic Response Director for PHE and Deputy Chief Medical Adviser for Test and Trace, said:
- The identification of this individual is the result of an enormous collaborative effort between specialist teams at NHS Test and Trace and Public Health England.
- Staff have been working around the clock to pursue every line of investigation and this is a fantastic result that enables us to fully investigate the circumstances around the case and reduce the risk of onward transmission.
- As an additional precaution, we’re working closely with Croydon Council to put in place further testing in the area.
- We are continuing to monitor all variants closely and the best way to protect against all COVID-19 infections is to remember the basics of Hands, Face, Space.
Ramped up genomic testing, particularly in the Croydon area, should tell us over the next couple of weeks whether this variant has spread further in the community.
