MADISON, WI (WTAQ) — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is now tracking a particular variant strain of COVID-19.
SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2, also known as the Delta variant, has been identified variant of concern due to its higher infection rate. It was originally detected in India.
To date, 26 cases of COVID-19 Delta have been detected in Wisconsin.
“Wisconsin continues to report an increasing proportion of COVID-19 cases across the state that are variants of concern,” said DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake in a press release. “We urge Wisconsinites to protect themselves, their families, and their communities by getting vaccinated. The sooner people get vaccinated against COVID-19, the less opportunity for the virus to keep mutating.”
Variants are identified through a process called whole genome sequencing, which is not performed on every sample received at state labs.
