Colorado has become the first US state to report a case of a highly infectious coronavirus variant initially detected in the UK.
The mutant strain was found in a man in his 20s who is in isolation southeast of Denver and has no travel history, state health officials said.
Governor Jared Polis said: ‘There is a lot we don’t know about this new COVID-19 variant, but scientists in the United Kingdom are warning the world that it is significantly more contagious.
‘The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will closely monitor this case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators, very closely.’
Public health officials are investigating other potential cases and performing contract tracing to determine the spread of the variant throughout the state.
The new variant has already been detected in several countries throughout Europe as well as Japan, South Korea, Australia and Canada.
The variant is said to be 70% more contagious than previous versions of Covid-19, and has led to a number of countries announcing bans on flights to and from Britain.
The US joins India and Pakistan as the latest nations to detect the new strain, with India confirming six new cases among people returning from the UK.
Fears over the new strain led to Boris Johnson cancelling Christmas bubble plans for millions of people when London and Kent were plunged into tier four restrictions.
Scientists are now urging the Government to impose a third national lockdown and keep schools closed in January as intensive care units in hospitals reach full capacity.
A review of the tier system and a decision on schools is expected to be announced tomorrow.
It is thought that up to two thirds of country, if not all, could be told to follow tier four rules.
More to follow
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