Delta variant of COVID detected in cluster of cases in Provincetown

BOSTON — The Delta variant of COVID has been detected in a cluster of cases in Provincetown, state health officials announced Friday.

Genetic sequencing of initial samples associated with the recent COVID-19 cluster in the Cape Cod town tested positive for the Delta variant, according to the Department of Public Health.

While DPH has identified cases in the cluster associated with vaccinated individuals, the total number of cases among vaccinated people in Massachusetts remains extremely low, at 0.1% or 5,166 cases out of over 4.3 million fully vaccinated residents, the agency said.

Both the State Public Health Laboratory and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have contributed to sequencing efforts in Massachusetts during the pandemic. This sequencing data contributes to the tracking of clusters and patterns of disease spread.

“Both labs identified the Delta variant in cases associated with this cluster and additional specimens from the Provincetown cluster are continuing to be prioritized for sequencing,” the DPH said in a statement.

No new variants have been identified.

The Delta variant is known to be more transmissible than the original COVID-19 virus. Individuals infected with the Delta variant tend to have more virus in their respiratory tract than other variants and infected individuals may carry the virus longer.

These two factors contribute to the increased transmissibility seen with the Delta variant, health officials said.

Since its original identification in the United States, the Delta variant has spread rapidly, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently estimated that 83% of cases during the period July 4-17 are attributable to this variant nationally.

The estimates during that same time period for Region 1 (which includes: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont) are that Delta accounts for 68% of cases during the same time period.All three COVID-19 vaccines in use in the U.S have shown to be very effective against the COVID variants and remain the single best way for people to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their community from COVID-19 and its variants.

Health officials urge residents to become vaccinated. Free vaccinations are available throughout the state. Visit vaxfinder.mass.gov for a list of vaccination locations.

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