First case of COVID-19 'variant' in United States confirmed in Colorado

"The individual is recovering in isolation and will remain there until cleared by public health officials," the news release read. "The individual has no close contacts identified so far, but public health officials are working to identify other potential cases and contacts through thorough contact tracing interviews."

In a statement, 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. We are working to prevent spread and contain the virus at all levels. I want to thank our scientists and dedicated medical professionals for their swift work and ask Coloradans to continue our efforts to prevent disease transmission by wearing masks, standing six feet apart when gathering with others, and only interacting with members of their immediate household.”

The variant, known as B.1.1.7, is believed to be more contagious than the other versions of the COVID-19. However, experts believe the vaccines currently available are still effective against this new version of the virus.

“The fact that Colorado has detected this virant first in the nation is a testament to the sophistication of Colorado's response and the talent of CDPHE's scientist and lab operations,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in a news release. “We are currently using all the tools available to protect public health and mitigate the spread of this variant.”