Covid-19 Mu Variant Cases Identified in Los Angeles County

Covid-19 Mu variant identified in Los Angeles County

New Covid-19 'Mu variant' Cases Found in Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has already identified 167 cases of the Covid-19 'Mu variant' in Los Angeles County, identified between June 19 and August 21. The 'Mu variant' is also known as B.1.621, and has been classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a "variant of interest," but has not been classified as a "variant of concern" - such as the 'Delta variant' that comprises 99% of all cases identified.

The 'Mu variant was first identified in Colombia in January 2021, and has been reported as being identified in 39 different countries. The Washington Post has reported that 2,000 cases of the 'Mu variant' have been identified across the United States. 

Dr. Anthony Fauci said this about the 'Mu variant': "This variant has a constellation of mutations that suggests that it would evade certain antibodies, not only monoclonal antibodies, but vaccine- and convalescent serum-induced antibodies...But there isn't a lot of clinical data to suggest that. It is mostly laboratory in-vitro data."

Source: Deadline

Yahoo! reports that the 'Mu variant' has been found in 49 of the 50 U.S. states. Nebraska is the only state that has not identified this variant. However, health officials are concerned that this variant is more transmissible and more resistant to vaccines than the Covid-19 Delta variant.

Source: Yahoo!

Mu Cases are no Longer Spreading in U.S.

Updated: Sept 29, 2021

According to this AL.com article, there have not been any new mu variant Covid-19 cases among new cases in the U.S.

People are getting tired of Covid-19

Vickie Mays, a psychology professor at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) says, "People have a lot of frustration. People have been doing thus a long time, and they though by now things would be in a different position.

Dr. Preeti Malani, an infectious disease professor at the University of Michigan, says, "We're likely to see pockets of outbreaks and increased restrictions again with every surge in local cases and hospitalizations....And that's leaving some of us feeling a little anxious, to say the least."

Dr. Tomás J. Aragón on California's Strained Hospitals

In August, the California's Health Officer, Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, issued an order meant to alleviate the burden on Califirnia's strained hospitals with support and flexibility.

He said, "California is currently experiencing the fastest increase in Covid-19 cases during the entire pandemic with 23.8 new cases per 100,000 people per day with case rates increasing eleven-fold within two months...Hospitalizations have increased over 700% in the past two months and are projected to continue to increase."

In mid-August, there were 7,166 Covid-19 hospitalizations in the state of California. At the beginning of Sept. 2021, there are now 8,630 Covid-19 hospitalizations in the state of California.

Source: Deadline 

Los Angeles Unified School District Requires Vaccines

Los Angeles Unified School District officials voted for and decided that all eligible students should be vaccinated.

According to the article, the decision was largely praised by the teachers union and parents.

Source: CNN

Potential Good News from Expert Scientist Regarding Future Mutations

The lead scientist that worked on the Oxford vaccine believes that there "aren't many places for the virus to go" regarding future mutations. She explains that viruses tend to become less virulent over time as they spread through a population that becomes more immune. She believes that Covid-19 will eventually become on par with other seasonal coronaviruses, such as Rhinovirus (the common cold).

Source: Yahoo!