INDIANAPOLIS — Friday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic.
ISDH update
The Indiana State Department of Health reports 6,407 new cases for a total of 517,773 since the pandemic began.
The state also recorded 106 more deaths from COVID-19. That brings the total now to more than 8,000 Hoosiers lost in 2020 to the virus.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 19.97 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States. as of 3:30 a.m. ET Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 345,000 deaths in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 83.48 million confirmed cases with more than 1.81 million deaths and 47 million recoveries.
The real number of people infected by the virus around the world is believed to be much higher — perhaps 10 times higher in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — given testing limitations and the many mild cases that have gone unreported or unrecognized.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness like pneumonia, or death.
Florida becomes 3rd state to identify new COVID variant
The Florida Department of Health is reporting the first identified case of a new COVID-19 variant initially found in the UK.
Health officials say the strain was found in a 20-year-old man from Martin County with no prior history of travel.
The department is working with the CDC on an investigation.
Earlier this week, top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci said the new strain is something to "follow very carefully" and is something that was "very intensively" being looked into.
The first confirmed cases of the new variant in the U.S. came from Colorado on Dec. 29 and California on Dec. 30, but some experts believe it was here sooner than that.
Scientists trying to understand new coronavirus variant
Questions are multiplying as fast as new variants of the coronavirus, especially the one moving through England and now popping up in the U.S. and other countries.
Scientists say there is reason for concern and more to learn, but that the new variants should not cause alarm.
Here are some questions and answers on what’s known about the virus so far.
Q: WHERE DID THIS NEW VARIANT COME FROM?
A: New variants have been seen almost since the virus was first detected in China nearly a year ago. Viruses often mutate, or develop small changes, as they reproduce and move through a population.
Q: HOW DOES ONE VARIANT BECOME DOMINANT?
A: That can happen if one variant takes hold and starts spreading in an area, or because “super spreader” events helped it become established.
Q: WHAT’S WORRISOME ABOUT THE BRITISH VARIANT?
A: It has many mutations — nearly two dozen — and eight are on the spike protein that the virus uses to attach to and infect cells. The spike is what vaccines and antibody drugs target.
Q: DOES IT MAKE PEOPLE SICKER OR MORE LIKELY TO DIE?
A: “There’s no indication that either of those is true, but clearly those are two issues we’ve got to watch,” said Dr. Philip Landrigan, a former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientist who directs a global health program at Boston College. As more patients get infected with the new variant, “they’ll know fairly soon if the new strain makes people sicker.”
Q: WHAT ABOUT VACCINES?
A: Scientists believe current vaccines will still be effective against the variant, but they are working to confirm that. On Wednesday, British officials reiterated that there is no data suggesting the new variant hurts the effectiveness of the available vaccines.
Q: WHAT CAN I DO TO REDUCE MY RISK?
A: Follow the advice to wear a mask, wash your hands often, maintain social distance and avoid crowds, public health experts say.