TOMPKINS COUNTY, NY – The Tompkins County Health Department found two more cases of the UK variant of the COVID-19 virus (officially known as variant B.1.1.7) in people locally. Both people are isolated and close contacts have been identified.
It is the fifth and sixth cases of the UK variant found in the county, all of which were detected using the sequencing technology at Cornell University. Both new cases were attributed to travel.
The UK variant was found to be more contagious, although there still seems to be no evidence that it is more lethal than the original coronavirus, which infected thousands locally and took the lives of nearly 30 residents of Tompkins County. The first case was reported in the county on January 15, shortly after it was first found in the state of New York.
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“We are confident that we have successfully identified and isolated cases in this situation,” said Public Health Director Frank Kruppa. “This is a more contagious mutation of the virus and we need to be vigilant. We are seeing more presence of this variant in the United States and this may continue. We all still have a role in preventing spread and we must continue to wear masks diligently, avoid crowds and keep our distance from each other. “