1st case of COVID variant discovered in Colorado

DENVER (KKTV) – The new COVID-19 variant discovered in the UK has moved to Colorado.

On Tuesday, the office of Governor Jared Polis announced that a man in his twenties is currently in isolation in Elbert County with the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7. According to the governor’s office, the man has no travel history. The variant has caused worldwide concern due to signs that it may spread more easily. Although there is no indication that it causes serious illnesses, several countries in Europe have consequently restricted travel from the United Kingdom.

The state’s laboratory in Colorado was the first in the state to quickly identify the variant through a sophisticated analysis of test samples, the release reads.

It is suspected that the currently approved vaccines are effective against this variant. As of Monday afternoon, more than 67,000 people in Colorado had received a dose of COVID-19 vaccine. As of Tuesday, more than 326,000 cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the Centennial State since the start of the pandemic with more than 2,000,000 tests.

An investigation is underway by government officials, including interviews on contact tracing. The man is recovering and is expected to remain in solitary confinement until he is cleared by public health officials.

‘There’s a lot we do not know about this new COVID-19 variant, but scientists in the UK are warning the world that it is significantly more contagious. The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will be closely monitoring this matter, as well as all COVID-19 indicators. We are working to prevent the spread and contain the virus at all levels, “said Governor Jared Polis. “I want to thank our scientists and dedicated medical professionals for their prompt work and ask Coloradans to continue their efforts to prevent disease transmission by wearing masks, standing six feet apart when interacting with others and only dealing with members of their immediate household. “

More information on this recent discovery is expected to be released by the governors’ office on Wednesday morning.

“The fact that Colorado first detected this variant in the country is proof of the sophistication of Colorado’s response and the talent of CDPHE’s scientists and laboratory operations,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Administration. health and environment, said. “We are currently using all available tools to protect public health and mitigate the spread of this variant.”

Copyright 2020 KKTV. All rights reserved.