Official: COVID-19 variants likely spreading across Idaho

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho official says concerning coronavirus variants are likely spreading across the state, intensifying pressure to speed up vaccination efforts.

Bureau of Laboratories Director Christopher Ball says the variants first discovered in the United Kingdom and California have been detected in every region of Idaho.

Health officials have said variants accounted for four of the more than 100 residents who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two weeks after receiving their final vaccines.

Around 320,000 people are fully vaccinated in Idaho, while some 172,000 have received at least one vaccine dose.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday the coronavirus variant first identified in the United Kingdom is now the most common strain of coronavirus in the United States.

Eastern Idaho Public Health announced the presence of the United Kingdom Coronavirus variant as well as the California Coronavirus variant on March 22.

Southeastern Idaho Public Health announced the presence of the United Kingdom Coronavirus variant in its jurisdiction on March 31.

The Wyoming Department of Health confirms four different COVID-19 variants have been found in Wyoming over the past several months.