Officials link Brazilian variant to asylum-seeking family in Yuma
Health officials confirm the variant was detected in family of asylum seekers
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Regional Center for Border Health (RCBH) confirmed Wednesday the Brazilian strain of coronavirus in Arizona originated from a family of asylum seekers who were released from CBP custody in Yuma.
RCBH also tells News 11's Crystal Jimenez, the three people who tested positive for the variant were asylum-seekers.
RCBH said all three people tested positive during the first week of March and are from the same family.
RCBH President and CEO Amanda Aguirre said her team is conducting contact tracing. They want to follow the path the family took from Border Patrol custody, to their trip to the testing facility.
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) on Friday announced the presence of the Brazilian variant in the state. At that time, health officials did not reveal the location of the positive tests at that time.
