First U.S. Case Of U.K. COVID-19 Variant Found In Colorado

BY ELENA MOORE

A case of the new coronavirus variant initially seen in the United Kingdom has been found in Colorado, state officials say, marking the first time the variant has been officially documented in the United States.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said that the man who tested positive is in his 20s, has not been traveling and is currently isolating.

Gov. Jared Polis helps put Colorado’s first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine in a freezer at a state health department laboratory last week.
CREDIT: David Zalubowski/AP

“The individual has no close contacts identified so far, but public health officials are working to identify other potential cases and contacts through thorough contact tracing interviews,” the statement said.

The variant, to which scientists in the U.K. alerted the public in mid-December, is expected to spread faster than the original disease and has 17 mutations, NPR’s Michaeleen Doucleff reports.

Coronavirus cases have notably increased in England over the past few weeks. On Monday a record 41,460 cases were reported in the country, according to Johns Hopkins University. In December alone, the country has reported over 700,000 cases.

Just days ago the first case of this virus variant was also found in France.

In response to the news from the U.K., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that anyone coming to the U.S. from the U.K. must receive a negative coronavirus test result before they begin the trip.