WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A variant of more COVID-19 infections that swept the UK was identified in Florida, state health officials said on Thursday, marking the third known US state to identify such a case.
© Reuters / ANDREW WEST / THE NEWS-PRESS
Hundreds of people wait in line at the Lakes Park Regional Library to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Fort Myers
The Florida Department of Health said the case involved a man in his 20s in Martin County with no travel history. Two other cases involving the UK variant have been identified in Colorado and California.
“The Department is working with the CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) on this investigation,” he tweeted.
Video: The first cases of a new Covid strain have been identified in the USA – here’s what is known so far (CNBC)
Click to expand
NEXT
On Wednesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom said coronavirus variant B.1.1.7 was identified in Southern California.
The day before, Colorado Governor Jared Polis said the variant had been identified there, while another state health official said a second possible case was being investigated.
The cases, found in individuals who have not recently traveled, showed the likely spread of the variant in the person-to-person community in the United States. Health experts said they believe the new variant is more infectious, but recently approved vaccines should provide protection against it.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Neil Fullick)
Keep reading