SALT LAKE CITY – A new COVID-19 variant originating in the UK has been discovered in Utah, state health officials announced Friday.
The variant, also known as B.1.1.7 COVID-19, was detected in a Salt Lake County man who tested positive last month and was aged between 25 and 44, according to a Utah Department of Health press release. The man had no known travel history outside of Utah and had only mild symptoms, the release said.
“We fully expected to find this species in Utah. We know this species is more transmissible than previous COVID-19 variants, and our hospitals continue to operate at low or over capacity. So now more than ever before, Utah residents must wear masks. Exercise physical distance, and avoid large gatherings, “health department epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn said in the publication.
Salt Lake County health officials conducted a routine investigation, including contact tracking, for the variant case. The Utah Public Health Laboratory discovered the variant through genetic sequencing of COVID-19 samples, the press release said.
The British variant is believed to spread faster and more easily than other COVID-19 mutations, but there is no evidence that it is more deadly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It was first discovered in the United States in Colorado.
The COVID-19 vaccines currently approved for use are also believed to be effective against the UK variant of the virus, the health department said.
Dunn is expected to provide more information on the discovery of the variant on Friday afternoon.
This story is being updated.
Jacob Klopfenstein