SEATTLE — Despite the recent spread globally and across Washington state of the COVID-19 variant known as delta, a different variant is keeping state epidemiologist Dr. Scott Lindquist up at night: the gamma variant, first identified in Brazil.
The delta variant — first identified in India and also known as B.1.617 — is not leading to increased hospitalizations, deaths or so-called breakthrough infections — those that happen to vaccinated people — in people who have had the shots, Lindquist said during the state Department of Health’s weekly update Wednesday.
The gamma variant, on the other hand, is associated with higher hospitalization rates and increased breakthrough infections. The variant, also known as P.1, now accounts for 16% of the cases in Washington state and is the fastest-rising variant in the state, he said.
The P.1 variant is highly infectious. It can quickly spread from one person to another, with some cases suggesting the variant may be less likely to respond to antibody treatments, according to a June Department of Health report.