Travel from the United Kingdom to the United States by a Symptomatic Patient Infected with the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 Variant — Texas, January 2021

Abstract

On March 3, 2021, this report was posted as an MMWR Early Release on the MMWR website (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr). In December 2020, the B.1.1.7 genetic variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, was first reported after emergence and rapid circulation in the United Kingdom (1). Evidence suggests that the B.1.1.7 variant is more efficiently transmitted than are other SARS-CoV-2 variants, and widespread circulation could thereby increase SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalization rates (1,2). The first reported SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant case in the United States was confirmed by sequencing in Colorado on December 29, 2020.* This report describes a person who traveled from the United Kingdom to the United States after experiencing COVID-19-compatible symptoms † and was eventually confirmed to be infected with the B.1.1.7 variant. On January 10, 2021, CDC notified the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) of a SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant case; Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District staff members conducted a case investigation on January 10-11. The patient, aged 61 years, had visited family in the United Kingdom during November 13-December 30, 2020, and reported having been exposed to a relative experiencing COVID-19-compatible symptoms (cough, runny nose, and headache) on December 24. Another relative at the same gathering received a positive COVID-19 test result in the United Kingdom on January 10. The patient received a negative SARS-CoV-2 antigen test result on December 28 in preparation for travel back to the United States but experienced symptoms on December 29 and reported taking acetaminophen on December 30. On December 30, the patient disclosed a runny nose during the pretravel interview but was cleared to fly from London to Dallas, Texas the same day. Upon arrival in the United States on December 31, the patient stayed overnight in a hotel and then drove home (approximately 8 hours). On the way home, the patient stopped five times, including twice * https://covid19.colorado.gov/press-release/cdphe-confirms-two-additionalcases-and-one-possible-case-of-the-b117-variant † Patient initially experienced runny nose and headache before departure and later experienced loss of taste and smell, severe headache, chills, and a dry cough after return to the United States, which are symptoms compatible with COVID-19.

Precision health diagnostic and surveillance network uses S gene target failure (SGTF) combined with sequencing technologies to track emerging SARS‐CoV‐2 variants

“…6 , 8 , 9 Alpha showed increased transmissibility and rapidly became the first dominant VOC in the United States during the second week of March 2021 ( https://covid.cdc.gov ). 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 Since then, the Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529) variants have replaced the Alpha variant as the dominant VOC in the United States and worldwide. 14 The HVΔ69‐70 mutation initially found in the Alpha variant is a permissive mutation in the SARS‐CoV‐2 21765‐21770 genome region that removes Spike amino acids 69 and 70, which increases infectivity by allowing the acquisition of otherwise deleterious immune escape mutations.…”

“…6,8,9 Alpha showed increased transmissibility and rapidly became the first dominant VOC in the United States during the second week of March 2021 (https://covid.cdc.gov). [10][11][12][13] Since then, the Delta (B.1.617. 16 Detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection using a PCRbased method is the gold standard for molecular diagnosis.…”