COVID-19 in PA: Philadelphia woman diagnosed with the UK version of COVID-19

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania (WPVI) – A woman from the Philadelphia region has discovered a variant of COVID-19 that was first identified in the United Kingdom.

The news was announced following an investigation by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and Bucks County Health.

Officials say the patient, a 50-year-old woman, began showing symptoms in the last week of December and was briefly hospitalized.

The woman, who lives in both Philadelphia and Bucks County, is currently recovering.

Both health departments say they worked together to track contacts.

Scientists in the UK have said there is no evidence that this variant causes more severe disease, but it could spread more easily.

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said that while it is not yet proven that the variant is more contagious than others, research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention seems to show that it is.

“We are concerned that she is present in Philadelphia. Everyone in the area should take this information as a reminder to be even more consistent in wearing masks and keeping their distance from others,” Farley said.

This is the second case of the variant found in Pennsylvania. In the first case, a patient from Dauphin County showed mild symptoms.