Colorado confirms it has detected first cases of ‘mutant COVID’ strain  

Super-COVID IS in the US: Colorado man in his 20s with NO travel history becomes first American to test positive for the mutant strain first detected in the UK

Colorado has announced it has detected the first case of the mutant COVID-19 strain first found in the UK.

Governor Jared Polis revealed the worrying news in a tweet, writing: ‘Today we discovered Colorado’s first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, the same variant discovered in the UK. The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will monitor this case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators, very closely.’

An attached statement said the Colorado State Laboratory confirmed the case and notified the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

The case was detected in a man in his 20s who is ‘currently in isolation in Elbert County and has no travel history.’ 

Governor Jared Polis released this statement saying the person infected is a man in his 20s who had not been traveling

The fact the man has not traveled tells officials he caught the strain from someone else in the US.

He will remain in isolation until he is cleared by health officials.

The statement adds: ‘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.’

Gov Polis added: ‘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.

Governor Jared Polis revealed the worrying news in a tweet, writing: 'Today we discovered Colorado’s first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7'

Governor Jared Polis revealed the worrying news in a tweet, writing: ‘Today we discovered Colorado’s first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7’

‘The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will closely monitor the case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators very closely. 

‘We are working to prevent spread and contain the virus at all levels.’ 

The new variant of the coronavirus has been spreading rapidly in Britain recently with huge swathes of England being placed under its strictest COVID-19 restrictions.

The mutation known as the B.1.1.7 lineage may be up to 70 per cent more infectious and more of a concern for children. 

It has sown chaos in Britain, prompting a wave of travel bans that are disrupting trade with Europe and threatening to further isolate the island country.