A new strain of the coronavirus that was first discovered in the United Kingdom has been found in New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Monday.
“The Wadsworth Lab has confirmed New York State’s first case of the U.K. variant (B.1.1.7) of the virus that causes COVID,” Cuomo said on Twitter. “An individual from Saratoga County, New York, tested positive for the strain. The individual had no known travel history.”
NEW: The Wadsworth Lab has confirmed New York State’s first case of the U.K. variant (B.1.1.7) of the virus that causes COVID.
An individual from Saratoga County, New York, tested positive for the strain. The individual had no known travel history.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) January 4, 2021
New York is the fourth state which has confirmed cases of the new strain, The Hill reported. Colorado, California and Florida have also had cases. (RELATED: Health Minister Says South Africa COVID-19 Strain Could Be ‘More Transmissible’ Than UK Strain)
Cuomo said that the person who tested positive for the new strain, which is believed to be more contagious, is a man in his 60s, according to NBC New York. The case is connected to a jewelry store in Saratoga Springs that has been closed since Dec. 24. Three other people connected to the store have also tested positive, Cuomo said, but it’s unclear whether those cases are the new variant.
Although the variant is more contagious, it does not seem to be more deadly, experts said according to NBC.
Over the past 7 days, there was an average of 4,775 new daily coronavirus cases in New York City, according to the New York Times. The city has reported at least 450,658 coronavirus cases and 25,284 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic as of Monday afternoon, data shows.