The UK COVID19 strain has appeared in a Colorado man. He is the first person in the United States diagnosed with a new COVID-19 mutation that United Kingdom officials recently warned was significantly more contagious, according to state officials.
The man, who lives in Elbert County, is in his 20s, has no travel history and no close contacts yet identified, state officials said in a Tuesday news release. The man remains in isolation, and contact tracing continues. A second case in the county is suspected, and both individuals were working in Simla, about an hour northeast of Colorado Springs.
UK COVID19 Strain in Colorado
Governor Jared Polis revealed the worrying news in a tweet, writing: ‘Today we discovered Colorado’s first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, the same variant discovered in the UK. The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will monitor this case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators, very closely.’
An attached statement said the Colorado State Laboratory confirmed the case and notified the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
The new mutant strain may not be treated with the vaccine being distributed currently. It has not moved quickly enough to stop the cancellation of the NCAA’s college football Texas Bowl which was cancelled yesterday.
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