The secretary of health, dr. Rachel Levine, said an individual in Dauphin County tested positive after known international exposure. This variant is the same as first discovered in England in December.
Scientists in the UK have said there is no evidence that it causes serious diseases but that it could spread more easily.
The individual had mild symptoms, which in the meantime resolved while completing their isolation at home.
RELATED: New COVID variant found at the man who works at NY jewelry store
“Pennsylvania is preparing for this variant by working closely with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and has been sending random samples to the CDC fortnightly since November 10-35 to study the sequence and to identify possible cases for this new COVID. “variant 19,” Levine said. “Public health experts are in the early stages of better understanding this new variant, how it spreads and how it affects people who are infected with it.”
To date, there have been 609,905 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state and 16,914 Pennsylvania residents have died from the virus.
RELATED: Member of the Colorado National Guard has first case in US case of virus variants