COVID treatments may be less effective on virus strain dominant on Maui

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said research shows that COVID treatments may not work as well on the variant dominant on Maui.

The CDC said the California variant appears to have a “significant impact” on some of the current coronavirus treatments. This means that recovery treatment for patients who contract the virus may not be as effective.

State health officials said the California variant is present in about 75% of Maui’s cases.

The mutation was first detected on Maui in early February.

Health officials said they believe the California variant likely fueled the COVID outbreak at Maui Community Correctional Center.

Although the mutation may affect certain COVID treatments, the CDC reported that California variant is not as infectious as other strains of the coronavirus.

The CDC reported that the California variant is about 20% more transmissible than the standard strain of COVID-19, while the UK and South African mutations of the virus are roughly 50% more transmissible.

Currently, 13 cases of the UK variant and five infections of the South African strain have been documented in Hawaii.

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