NYC Says Variants are Keeping Case Numbers Steady

New York City’s coronavirus case numbers remain roughly plateaued even as hospitalization and death rates continue to fall.

The reason, city health officials suspect, is the frequency of mutated strains and emergence of local variants. These variants are believed to be more infectious than the initial coronavirus strain that dominated the city for roughly a year.

The decrease in severe cases is also likely affected by the city’s vaccine efforts, which has vaccinated more than 5 million people. Even if an individual contracts the virus after being vaccinated, he or she will experience a mild or asymptomatic case.

Health officials are studying if the New York City variant, also known as the Washington heights variant or B.1.526, can reinfect people who previously had Covid or are vaccinated, and if it is more likely to cause severe cases that require hospitalization. There is evidence it may do so, causing scientist to label it a “variant of concern,” NBC 4 reported.

Other concerning variant doctors are on alert for are the U.K. (B.1.1.7), Brazilian (P.1) and South African (B.1.351) strains, all of which are more infectious, more severe, and possibly more resistant to the vaccines.

In January, the variants represented 10% of cases in January. By mid-March, 70% of local cases were caused by variants.

“To date, reinfection cases and cases in people who were fully vaccinated are rare. It is too early to know if either of these variants are more likely to cause reinfection or vaccine breakthrough compared to other previously circulating variants,” Health Commissioner Dr. Chave Chokshi said. “The increase in proportion of cases that are variants indicates that they may be more transmissible, so New Yorkers should continue to get vaccinated when eligible and adhere to the Core Four.”

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smarcus@hamodia.com