U.S. reports first case of COVID variant

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 my recent report on the COVID relief bill President Donald Trump signed into law on Monday.

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This story originally appeared in WORLD. © 2020, reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

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