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A 20-something man from Colorado is the primary American recognized to be contaminated with a brand new variant of coronavirus that emerged this fall within the UK, elevating concern {that a} extra transmissible pressure might unfold extensively throughout the nation.
The Colorado State Laboratory confirmed the affected person had the mutated type of the virus, referred to as B.1.1.7, and knowledgeable the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Colorado Governor Jared Polis mentioned in a press release on Twitter.
The man has no latest journey historical past, difficult well being officers to seek out the potential supply of an infection and establish others who could also be in danger. He is at present in isolation in Elbert County, positioned midway between Denver and Colorado Springs.
“There is a lot we don’t know about this new Covid variant, but scientists in the United Kingdom are warning the world that it is significantly more contagious,” Polis mentioned within the assertion. “The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will closely monitor this case, as well as all Covid-19 indicators.”
The new variant is considered 56% to 70% extra transmissible than different strains of the virus and is contributing to a spike in circumstances within the U.Okay. It isn’t believed to be extra lethal than the unique pressure liable for Covid-19, which has contaminated 81.9 million folks worldwide and killed 1.8 million of them.
The pressure has been recognized in additional than a dozen international locations, together with Canada. CDC officers mentioned final week that it was probably the pressure had already made its option to the U.S. and that identification of sufferers was only a matter of time.
The emergence of a mutated model that might speed up the unfold of the illness comes simply as public well being officers worldwide are rolling out vaccinations towards the pathogen in hopes of shutting down the pandemic. While the immunizations are anticipated to stay efficient towards the brand new pressure, its quicker transmission ratchets up the race to get folks protected against the virus earlier than they develop into contaminated.
On Dec. 24, the Trump Administration mentioned it was requiring passengers flying from the U.Okay. to point out proof of a unfavorable check for coronavirus. Regions from Hong Kong to Canada have quickly suspended journey from the U.Okay.
The new variant was liable for 62% of Covid-19 infections in London within the week ending Dec. 9, up from 28% in early November, based on Paul Hunter, a professor of medication on the University of East Anglia’s Norwich School of Medicine.
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