New COVID-19 Variant From U.K. Confirmed In U.S. For First Time

The first confirmed case of the new, more transmissible COVID-19 variant first discovered in the U.K. has been discovered in the United States.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) said Tuesday that a state laboratory confirmed the variant known as B.1.1.7 in a male in his 20s, who is currently in isolation in Elbert County.

State authorities say the man had no travel history, and so far, no close contacts have been identified.

The mutant COVID-19 variant has already been detected in at least 18 other countries , including the United Kingdom. 

Denver International Airport isn’t currently operating a direct flight to the United Kingdom, the Colorado Sun notes , though direct flights to some other countries, including Canada, are available.

A couple in Ontario, Canada, tested positive for B.1.1.7 earlier this week.

“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 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.”

Researchers in the U.K. warned last week that B.1.1.7 is around 56% more contagious than the initial strain of the coronavirus that first emerged late last year in China. So far, however, the mutations do not appear to make it more deadly.

Recently approved COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna are expected to be effective against the new strain.