RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — State officials are reporting the first case in North Carolina of a more contagious strain of coronavirus that was first detected in the United Kingdom in December.
Officials say the B.1.1.7 variant was identified in a sample from an adult in Mecklenburg County. No other details about the person were released. As of Friday almost 200 cases of B.1.1.7 had been reported in 21 states.
Health officials have said that early data suggest that the variant may be more contagious than other variants of the virus, but that the current COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be effective against it.
Copyright 2021, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
