TOMPKINS COUNTY, NY – The Department of Health in Tompkins County has discovered the British variant of the coronavirus in a person who tested positive for COVID-19 in Tompkins County. The person is in isolation, the contact investigation has been completed and no close contacts have been identified – the person has recently traveled and was already in quarantine upon their return.
According to the Department of Health, there is no evidence that this strain is more dangerous or deadly to humans than the original coronavirus strain, which closed the United States for nearly a year. However, it is more contagious.
“Although this variant is more contagious, we are confident that we detected the positive case immediately and that the individual had no close contact,” said Frank Kruppa, director of public health. “We all still have a role to play in stopping the spread, and must continue to wear masks, avoid crowds and keep our distance from each other.”
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Here is more information from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant.html.
The case was discovered by Cornell University’s COVID-19 test laboratory and is followed up for the British tribe when identified as a close contact or after relevant travel from the UK. The first case was discovered in the US on January 4, 2021 and cases were also found throughout New York.
In addition, another person died from the coronavirus in Tompkins County, the 19th since the beginning of the pandemic.
Daily table update: 41 new cases, one resident killed today. # COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/90Sj92Ijeh
– Tompkins County Health Department (@TompkinsHealth) 15 January 2021