State health officials announced Friday that a highly contagious version of COVID-19 was first detected in New Hampshire.
According to a statement from the State Department of Health and Human Services, a Hillsborough County resident who was recently in close contact with someone who traveled internationally gave positive results for variant B.1.1.7, also known as the UK version.
The state has been monitoring the contacts and, at this time, considers that there is no risk to the community of further expansion, according to the press release.
“The presence of a COVID-19 variant in New Hampshire is not surprising, and we will probably see an increasing number of B.1.1.7 infections,” said Dr. Benjamin Chan, a state epidemiologist, in a statement. “The CDC has estimated that the variant will likely become the predominant variant circulating in the United States in the near future.”
Chan urged residents to continue wearing a mask, observing social distance and washing their hands regularly. People with symptoms of COVID-19 are also encouraged to get tested for the disease.
According to the CDC, New Hampshire is the 39th state to identify the strain, which has spread to more than 80 countries. Both Vermont and Maine confirmed the first recorded cases of the British version on Thursday.
According to public health officials, variant B.1.1.7 is over 50% more infectious and communicable. State officials said, “however, COVID-19 vaccines appear to be extremely effective in preventing COVID-19 from this variant.”
At least two other strains of COVID-19 have also been identified, including one variant first identified in South Africa and one in Brazil.
The CDC warns that “these variants appear to spread more easily and faster than other variants, which can lead to more cases of COVID-19. An increase in the number of cases will put more pressure on health care resources, will lead to more hospitalizations and probably more deaths. ”
(This story will be updated as more information becomes available.)