The Washoe County Health District (WCHD) is announcing 13 additional cases of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 in Washoe County, increasing the total cases of the variant to 14. The variant in question originated in the United Kingdom (UK).

Two of the additional B.1.1.7 cases reported today attended a large gathering linked to the first confirmed B.1.1.7 case reported on March 12. That large gathering had more than 70 people attend from multiple states.

One of the additional cases had traveled to Florida recently where they had close contact with a confirmed case and flew back to Reno while infectious.

Four of the B.1.1.7 cases are linked to a youth sports club, two cases attended practices and games while infectious. Another in this cluster attended school while infectious. All contacts are being notified and asked to quarantine the full 14 day incubation period.

The remaining cases are under investigation.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has more information on all COVID-19 variants on its website. There are two COVID-19 variants of concern reported in Washoe County. The first was the  variant that originated in South Africa, B.1.351.

According to the CDC, this variant that originated in the UK is “associated with increased transmissibility (i.e., more efficient and rapid transmission, including an increased risk of death compared to other variants).”

For more information about COVID-19 in Washoe County, please see our website.

The Washoe County Health District is nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and has jurisdiction over all public health matters in Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County through the policy-making Washoe County District Board of Health. The District consists of five divisions: Administrative Health Services, Air Quality Management, Community and Clinical Health Services, Environmental Health Services and Epidemiology & Public Health Preparedness.