The New COVID-19 Strain Is Now Present in These 15 States

1. Utah

The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) just confirmed its first B.1.1.7 case on January 15 and more are expected to be found, as the new strain has proven to be even more contagious than the dominant one. The patient, a 25-year old man from Salt Lake County has contracted the virus after traveling outside Utah a few days ago. Luckily, he only experienced mild symptoms, so the new strain might not be as rough as the original one.

Utah Public Health Laboratory identified the new strain through their ongoing genetic sequencing of positive COVID-19 samples. According to Angela Dunn, MD, state epidemiologist at the Utah Department of Health (UDOH), they expected to see the new COVID-19 strain in Utah, so they weren’t surprised at all when they did.

“We know this strain is more transmissible than previous COVID-19 variants, and our hospitals continue to operate near or over capacity. So now more than ever, Utah residents need to wear masks, practice physical distancing, and avoid large gatherings,” Angela Dunn said in a statement.

Also read: What’s Even Riskier About the New COVID-19 Strain, According to Experts.

2. New Mexico

New Mexico found on January 13 that the new U.K. strain is present in their state as well. As data from the New Mexico Department of Health has shown, the first patient found in the state is a 60-year old man who recently traveled to the U.K.

According to the health department, the man has experienced mild coronavirus symptoms and is currently recovering at home, as no hospitalization was required.

Here’s What You Need To Do To Stop COVID-19, According To Fauci.

3. Nebraska

Before the first case has been identified in the state, Nebraska’s chief medical officer predicted the new virus strain was already there. As Gary Anthone, MD, has said in a statement one week ago, “We can all say with some certainty that it’s most likely… here in Nebraska.”

A few days later, on January 15, the state has already confirmed the first patient infected with the new virus strain from the U.K., as data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown.

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