VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – More cases of a COVID-19 variant that originated in the U.K. have been reported in Central Florida, according to officials.
The new variant has been observed in Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Volusia, Lake, Sumter and Seminole counties.
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According to officials, one case of the B.1.1.7 variant has been reported in Volusia County. Officials in the county do not know when the person tested positive.
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Seminole County reported six cases of the variant, three were detected in Osceola County and two cases were reported in Orange County. One instance of the variant has been confirmed in Brevard County, Lake and another in Sumter.
According to Dr. Raul Pino, with the Florida Department of Health, the cases in Orange County were from two people visiting the area.
Health officials said the B.1.1.7 variant has emerged with an unusually large number of mutations.
Researchers say that sometimes new variants of a virus can emerge and disappear. Other times, new variants emerge and stick around.
The CDC said the virus that causes COVID-19 is a type of coronavirus, a large family of viruses.
Since the coronavirus was first discovered, multiple new variants of the virus have been documented in the United States and around the world.
To read more about the different variants currently spreading throughout the world, click or tap here.
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