Iowa confirms three cases of COVID-19 strain first seen in United Kingdom

Health officials on Monday confirmed three Iowa cases of a COVID-19 variant first discovered in the United Kingdom.

Two of the cases involved adults in Johnson County, one young and one middle-aged. The third was a middle-aged adult in Bremer County, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported.

Iowa officials said the U.K. strain is believed to spread more easily than the more prevalent strain that was first confirmed in Wuhan, China. Vaccines now on the market are considered effective against the new strain, IDPH said in a news release.

State and local health officials have contacted the three people and are notifying anyone who may have had contact with them. The individuals involved have been told to isolate themselves according U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols.

The positive cases were confirmed by the State Hygienic Lab using routine genetic sequencing data.

“Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time,” state epidemiologist Dr. Caitlin Pedati said in a statement. “Sometimes new variants emerge and disappear. Other times, new variants emerge and persist. Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented in the United States and globally during this pandemic. ”

Pedati urged Iowans to continue following these guidelines to prevent spread of COVID-19:

• Wear a mask or face covering
• Practice social distancing with those outside your household
• Clean your hands frequently with soap and water
• Stay home if you feel sick
• Get tested if you are exposed to, or have symptoms of, COVID-19
• Consider getting a COVID-19 vaccine when it’s available to you

CDC will offer updates on Iowa’s COVID variants here.