U.S. reports first case of COVID variant

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A Colorado man in his 20s tested positive for the highly infectious virus strain first reported in the United Kingdom, Gov. Jared Polis announced Tuesday. State health officials said he is currently under isolation in Elbert County, southeast of Denver.

Any success in tracing the new strain? Health workers are investigating other infections since the first confirmed case has no travel history. The mutation is up to 70 percent more contagious, but there is no evidence it causes more severe illness or higher mortality. Authorities have traced the U.K. strain to cases in Canada, Italy, India, and the United Arab Emirates. Colorado health officials said the current vaccines in circulation should work against the variant.

Dig deeper: Read WORLD’s 2020 photo review on the global impact of the pandemic.

Onize Oduah

Onize is WORLD’s Africa reporter and deputy global desk chief. She is a World Journalism Institute graduate and earned a journalism degree from Minnesota State University–Moorhead. Onize resides in Abuja, Nigeria.

@onize_ohiks