US Detects 1st Brazilian COVID-19 Strain Case

On Monday, the Minnesota Department of Health announced detecting the first case of the new Brazilian COVID-19 variant.

It explained in a statement that the "Public Health Laboratory has found the variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus known as the Brazil P.1 variant in a specimen from a Minnesota resident with recent travel history to Brazil."

Two days ago, many reports highlighted that the new US president Joe Biden will impose a new South Africa travel ban. The main reason for this travel ban is the tragic spread of the new COVID-19 variant in South Africa.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) principal deputy director Dr. Anne Schuchat expressed to Reuters, “We are adding South Africa to the restricted list because of the concerning variant present that has already spread beyond South Africa.”

She added, “putting in place this suite of measures to protect Americans and also to reduce the risk of these variants spreading and worsening the current pandemic.”