The case has been identified in Colorado, that state's governor, Jared Polis, said in a statement issued late Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 29.
The man is in his early 20s, recovering in isolation and has no recent travel history, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said, meaning he was infected by another Colorado resident who has contracted the variant.
The strain was discovered in the United Kingdom before spreading to other European nations.
“There is a lot we don’t know about this new COVID-19 variant, but scientists in the United Kingdom are warning the world that it is significantly more contagious,” Polis said in a written statement. “The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will closely monitor this case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators, very closely. We are working to prevent spread and contain the virus at all levels.”
The UK variant has also been detected in Canada as well as Australia.
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