COVID-19 Variant of Interest – B.1.525

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The Corpus Christi - Nueces County Public Health District (CCNCPHD) received a notification from The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) of a Nueces County resident diagnosed with the COVID-19 variant, B.1.525.

The B.1.525 variant was first discovered in Nigeria in mid-December 2020. Shortly after, cases of this variant were found in the United Kingdom and France. This variant is defined by the CDC as a “variant of interest.” This specific strain of SARS-COV-2 has genetic characteristics that may potentially increase the transmission rate and severity of illness and decreases the effectiveness of vaccines and treatment.

The variant case individual is a male between the ages of 40-50 and is currently undergoing extensive contact tracing. The patient had symptoms of shortness of breath, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and loss of sense of taste and smell. He has recovered from the illness without hospitalization.

It is more important now than ever to get vaccinated to protect yourself and your loved ones. The more people that get vaccinated, the faster Nueces County will reach herd immunity and the closer we will be to obtaining normalcy in our community. 

It is important to continue the following public health precautions with the 3 W’s:

1)         Wear a mask (especially in congregate settings)

2)         Wash your hands (at least 20 seconds, often)

3)         Watch your distance