Seattle woman shares experience of confirmed UK COVID-19 variant

Seattle - Just a few weeks after the United Kingdom variant of coronavirus was detected in King, Snohomish and Pierce Counties, one woman is speaking out about her diagnosis with the new variant.

"They also did some genetic sequencing because I mentioned that the previous ER doc had mentioned the UK variant to my husband and myself. They went ahead and did some sequencing and confirmed the UK variant," said Sarah Abshire from her hospital room at Northwest Hospital in Seattle.

She was taken to the emergency room on Sunday because she was having trouble breathing, then was admitted to the hospital.

Late last week, her husband was rushed to the hospital after he suffered a seizure.

"He fell out of bed with a seizure, and it was really scary. They saw the kind of typical ground glass in the lungs in the CT scan," said Abshire.

Abshire's 9-year-old daughter, Willow, is also suffering from high fevers at home.

The family believes Willow, who has autism, contracted the virus from her small social skills group, then brought it home.

They first started experiencing cold like symptoms on January 30. Then a couple days later the symptoms went away, before coming back with a vengeance.

"We’re at home and as safe as we could’ve possibly been. So it’s highly contagious," said Abshire.

Abshire is also the Director of Seattle Youth Safe Space, which is now temporarily closed. A couple students who interacted with Abshire in person last week have tested negative, but are still staying in quarantine.

"I just want to go home, I want to see my kid, I want to make sure that the families from my center are okay," said Abshire.

The CDC predicts the UK variant will be the most common strain in the coming months.

State health officials with the Department of Health said viruses mutate inside your body, and that prevent yourself and others from getting Covid-19 also helps to prevent new variants from arising.