This Wednesday, the head of the Secretariat of Health of Oaxaca, Juan Carlos Márquez Heine, announced the diagnosis of 21 cases of the COVID-19 mutation discovered in the United Kingdom, which has been classified as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The variant, scientifically known as B.1.1.7, was initially detected at the International Airport of Puerto Escondido, where two Canadian tourists who were on their way to take a flight back to their country tested positive when they underwent anti-COVID tests, which upon further analysis confirmed that they were dealing with the English variant.

The event has led to the mobilization of the State Secretariat of Health, which has initiated the implementation of an epidemiologic surveillance to help in the rapid diagnosis of other infections related to this strain.

Investigations revealed that the travelers had stayed at a hostel located in San Pedro Mixtepec, where 19 more infections were found with the British mutation as the main one, and it was based on this discovery that the epidemiological surveillance was promoted. So far, no more cases of variant B.1.1.7 have been reported.

The results were caused in part by the rapid action of health authorities, who ordered immediate confinement of infected persons, in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

Oaxaca also remains under an alert to identify the Indian variant (B.1.617) recently discovered in San Luis Potosí, while Olivia López, Secretary of Health of Mexico City, confirmed the presence of the British and Brazilian variant in the country's capital.

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