SALT LAKE CITY – A new COVID-19 variant originating in the UK has been detected in Utah, health officials announced Friday.
The variant, also known as B.1.1.7 COVID-19, was found in a Salt Lake County man who tested positive last month and was between 25 and 44 years old, according to a news release from the Department of Health in Utah. The man had no travel history outside of Utah and had only mild symptoms.
“We fully expected that we would find this tension in Utah. We know that this strain is more transmissible than previous COVID-19 variants, and that our hospitals are still working near or over capacity. previously wearing masks, exercising physical distance, and avoiding large gatherings. ‘, said state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn in the release.
Salt Lake County health officials conducted a routine investigation, including contact detection, for the variant. The Utah Public Health Laboratory has discovered the variant by genetic sequencing of COVID-19 samples, the news release reads.
The British variant is suspected to spread faster and easier than other COVID-19 mutations, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no evidence that it is more lethal. It was first detected in the United States in Colorado.
The COVID-19 vaccines currently approved for use are also believed to be effective against the UK variant of the virus, the health department said.
Dunn is expected to provide more information on the discovery of the variant on Friday afternoon.
This story will be updated.
Jacob Klopfenstein