(Daily Mail) – Colorado has announced it has detected the first US case of the super-COVID strain that was first found in the UK. Governor Jared Polis revealed the worrying news in a tweet, writing:
‘Today we discovered Colorado’s first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, the same variant discovered in the UK. The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will monitor this case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators, very closely.’ An attached statement said the Colorado State Laboratory confirmed the case and notified the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
The strain – which is thought to be 70 percent more infectious – was detected in a man in his 20s who is ‘currently in isolation in Elbert County and has no travel history.’ It is not believed that B.1.1.7 leads to more severe cases, and higher mortality rates have been reported.
‘At this time, there is no evidence that this variant causes more severe illness or increased risk of death,’ the CDC stated on their website. The fact the man has not traveled tells officials he caught the strain from someone else in the US. The man will remain in isolation until he is cleared by health officials.
The statement adds: ‘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.’ READ MORE
