First case of COVID-19 variant from UK confirmed in Mass. – WPRI.com

BOSTON (WPRI) Massachusetts has announced its first identified case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, the same variant initially discovered in the United Kingdom.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) said a Boston woman in her 20s developed symptoms in early January and tested positive for COVID-19. She had traveled to the United Kingdom and became ill the day after she returned.

A genetic sample was sent to an out-of-state laboratory as part of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) surveillance protocol to identify COVID-19 variants.

The state laboratory was notified of results on Saturday night.

The CDC has reported 88 cases of the variant from 14 states in the United States. Rhode Island has not yet identified any cases of the variant.

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First case of COVID-19 variant from UK confirmed in Mass. - WPRI.com

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