CORONAVIRUS
Where are the first covid-19 lambda variant cases taking place?
The lambda variant is not as prevalent as the delta variant, but it is emerging in the United States and is considered a “variant of interest” by WHO.
Cases of the delta variant are significantly increasing throughout the United States, and concern is rising regarding mutations. As the virus spreads, new variants are expected to form, spread and change.
Although much of the conversation is around the delta variant, which is surging in the United States due to it being highly contagious, experts in the U.S. have begun spreading their attention to the lambda variant.
What is the lambda variant?
The lambda variant is one of the newest strains that has recently begun spreading in the United States. The variant was first reported in Peru and has spread throughout Latin America. The lambda variant is currently regarded as a “variant of interest” by the World Health Organization. Because there are still few confirmations of the lambda variant in the United States, the U.S. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet named lambda a variant of interest.
Experts have suggested that the lambda variant could be resistant to the vaccine, but that has not been officially confirmed. Researchers have come to believe this due to its unique mutations.
Which states have reported the lambda variant so far?
44 states have reported the lambda variant throughout the United States. The lambda variant has officially been reported in California.
Not every Covid-19 case is genetically sequenced in the United States to monitor whether it came from a variant, meaning the spread of the variant is likely much higher than we know.
Dr. Stuart Ray, a professor at Johns Hopkins Hospital said that the lambda variant is “sort of a cousin to the alpha variant.”
Why is the lambda variant being talked about today?
The Lambda variant has spread quickly throughout Latin America, raising interest about its spread in the United States. The lambda variant was recently reported in Japan after a woman traveling from Peru to Japan tested positive for the virus.
Experts say that if more Americans don’t get vaccinated, the spread of these variants will only increase. Viruses mutate constantly, and although this is not always a cause for concern, changes and mutations can be dangerous. The rapid spread and surge of the delta variant is proof of this.