A new variant of COVID-19 that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls a “variant of concern” has been found in South Carolina.
Dr. Brannon Traxler, public health of director with the Department of Health and Environmental Control, said four cases of the Delta variant have been found in the Midlands, PeeDee and Lowcountry regions of the Palmetto State.
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The CDC designation is given to strains of the virus that are more easily transmitted and can cause more severe illness.
The state Department of Public Health has reported fewer than 20 cases of the Delta variant in Georgia.
Traxler said the presence of the variants continues to show the importance of getting fully vaccinated.
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“We realistically could see a surge in cases after the July 4 holiday due to vacation events and other activities that involve large groups of unvaccinated people,” said Traxler.
She says 39.6% of South Carolinians are fully vaccinated.
Two unwanted milestones have been passed in the battle against COVID-19.
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Georgia has now topped 900,000 confirmed cases of the virus and a count by Johns Hopkins University finds the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 is now above 600,000.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com.
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