The United States has reported at least 2,753 cases of the coronavirus variants first detected in the UK, South Africa and Brazil as of Friday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The genomic sequence revealed cases of three major variants of concern in 47 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

The CDC says this does not represent the total number of such cases circulating in the U.S., just those detected by analyzing positive samples, indicating higher figures of infection.

The vast majority of these cases are the more contagious variant known as B.1.1.7, which was originally detected in the UK. This variant has been found in 46 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. About one quarter of the cases are in Florida. 

Sixty-eight cases of a variant first seen in South Africa, called B.1.351, have been found in 16 states and Washington, D.C.

Thirteen cases of the P.1 variant first linked to Brazil have been discovered in seven states.

(Cover: Farmers in queue to get vaccinated in California, U.S., March 4, 2021./ CFP)