A variant of the COVID-19 virus first found in the UK last year was found in Virginia, the state’s first case, officials say.
A resident of Northern Virginia, with no recent travel history reported, tested positive for the variant, the Virginia Department of Health announced in a statement on Monday afternoon.
The variant is “associated with increased transmission of COVID-19 from person to person,” said the statement.
Virginia health officials reported the case to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Norman Oliver urged Virginia residents to continue working to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“We know that this variant strain spreads more quickly among people than other strains that currently circulate in our communities, but we still have more to learn about whether it causes more serious diseases. As our state public health officials closely monitor the emergence of variant B.1.1.7 in our community, it is important that all Virgos continue to follow mitigation measures, ”he said in the statement.
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Two cases of the variant were found recently in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. One of the patients had recently traveled abroad; the other was the patient’s wife, said the governor.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.