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Cape Cod Health Officials Concerned About COVID Variants, Community Spread

YARMOUTH (CBS) - While Cape Cod can be beautiful before the summer crowds arrive, looks can be deceiving.

The Cape has some of the state's highest COVID numbers and perhaps more importantly, it has most of the cases of the P-1 variant. There are 59 cases of the P-1 variant statewide and 43 are on the Cape.

"As far as what we're seeing on Cape, that's what's driving our surge right now," said Dave Mason, the Sandwich Health Agent.

Three weeks ago, there was only one case of P-1, also known as Brazilian variant, on the Cape. Now, there are 43 and there is suspected community spread.

"The largest places that we're seeing are the family gatherings," said the Yarmouth Health Agent Bruce Murphy. "We're also seeing gatherings still out at birthday parties, sleepovers, bachelor parties. We're still seeing it that people are letting their guards down."

All the while, the overall COVID-19 cases keep going up, despite the high number of vaccinations on the Cape.

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