A representative from the Louisiana Department of Health confirmed Wednesday that five more cases of the Brazil variant of the coronavirus have been found in Louisiana.
The health department first reported that the variant also known as P1 was found in the state on April 29 — one known case in the New Orleans metro area and one known case in Southwest Louisiana. In a press release last Thursday, health officials said they suspected there were more undetected cases of the Brazil variant in Louisiana.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called P.1 a variant of concern because it can spread more easily and it has been known to be resistant against some treatments for COVID-19. The press release reported that some data indicates that it may also be linked to a higher chance of developing severe illness.
The U.K. variant and the California variant have also been identified in Louisiana in previous months. The health department says all available COVID-19 vaccines protect against severe illness from these variants.
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