MA Dept. of Public Health Announces First Case of More Contagious UK Strain of Coronavirus

Email to a friend Permalink

Sunday, January 17, 2021

GoLocalWorcester News Team

On Sunday afternoon, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced that the first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 has been detected in the state. 

This is the same variant initially discovered in the United Kingdom.

Global health officials say the variation is 70% more contagious.

According to MA officials, the individual developed symptoms in early January and tested positive for COVID-19 -- a genetic sample was sent to an out-of-state laboratory as part of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) established surveillance process to identify COVID-19 variants. The State Public Health Laboratory was notified last evening of the results.

The individual is a Boston resident, a female in her 20s.  She had traveled to the United Kingdom and became ill the day after she returned. She had tested negative prior to leaving the UK. The individual was interviewed by contact tracers at the time the initial positive result was received, and close contacts were identified. She is being re-interviewed by public health officials now that the variant has been identified as the cause of illness.

Surveillance testing for the B.1.1.7 variant has been ongoing at the Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory in collaboration with clinical diagnostic laboratories and academic partners. Surveillance consists of genomic sequencing on portions of COVID-19 positive specimens.

Related Articles

• NEW: U.S. Unemployment Claims Soar to Record-Breaking 3.3 Million During Coronavirus Crisis
• Massachusetts Public Health Reports 10 Coronavirus Deaths, Total Now 25; 23,500 Tested
• Brady Says “Immunity Boost” Plan on TB12 Website “Can Make Huge Difference” in Coronavirus Crisis
• Horowitz: Right-Wing Media Misinformation on Coronavirus Negatively Impacts Their Audience
• Convicted Rapist Weinstein Has Coronavirus, According to Reports
• 3 More Deaths from Coronavirus in MA, Total Jumps to 5
• REPORT: 2020 Olympics to be Postponed Due to Coronavirus Emergency
• NEW: Four More Coronavirus Deaths in MA, Total Now 9
• Warren, Markey Call Out Trump Over Lack of Federal Support for MA During Coronavirus Emergency
• Massachusetts Coronavirus Update: March 30, 2020 - VIDEO Governor Baker
• U.S GDP Falls 9.5 Percent During Coronavirus Pandemic — Economic Contraction Worst on Record
• Coronavirus Concerns Drive Hightower, 4 Other Patriots Players Opt Out of 2020 NFL Season
• President Trump and First Lady Test Positive for Coronavirus
• MA Closes Ice Skating Rinks for Two Weeks Due to Coronavirus Spiking
• Worcester Railers Season Is Cancelled Due to Coronavirus
• Worcester Numbers Increase for Impact of Coronavirus
• Coronavirus Will Fade; the Life-Changes Will Not – “The Sunday Political Brunch” April 19, 2020
• Gov. Baker Announces Attorney Pearlstein to Investigate Coronavirus Deaths at Holyoke Soldiers’ Home
• Thursday: Up to Date Coronavirus Number From MA to Global
• Friday: MA Coronavirus Deaths Exceed 500, See All the Numbers
• Governor Baker Announces New Restrictions to Slow Spread of Coronavirus

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Email to a friend Permalink