COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina's public health agency said there is still much to learn about the new South African COVID-19 variant found in the state, but experts say these mutations are not unusual.
"I am concerned still by the number of COVID-19 cases that we have in our community of all variants, all versions," DHEC's Interim Director of Public Health Dr. Brannon Traxler said.
The mutations were found in two samples that were tested separately: one by the CDC, one by SCDHEC. The tests were from a person in the Pee Dee while the other was in the Lowcountry. Neither is believed to have any connection with one another or travel history to South Africa.
Traxler said the agency may never know exactly how the two individuals got the illness, but she said both have recovered.
While some may be focused on the news of this new strain, Traxler said she wants all COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths counts to go down. To combat all forms of the virus, including the South African version, she hopes more people will follow safety precautions.
"South Carolinians need to use this news of the variant being identified here as a reason to double down on our efforts to protect themselves and others from all versions of this virus," Traxler said.
Traxler isn't the only one who hopes folks practice the recommended safety measures. Prisma Health Infectious Disease Physician Divya Ahuja agrees. He said the best advice right now is to keep up the same safety suggestions that have been given for months.
"I think it's too early to start panicking, this is a time to continue doing what we have or haven't done properly, which is masking, social distancing, hand washing, avoiding large gatherings, continuing to say yes to the vaccine," Ahuja said.
Both Traxler and Ahuja said while this new version does spread easier, they don't believe this variant is more severe, but more testing for other mutations is needed.
"By doing surveillance and testing random samples, and then analyzing and comparing the results to each other, the scientist can look to see what mutations are occurring and how quickly and if significant ones are occurring as well as patterns," Traxler said.
DHEC said they have been doing testing since the June for other variants and plan to ramp those efforts in the coming days and weeks.