First reported cases of U.K. COVID-19 variant found in Washington
January 23, 2021 5:36 PM
KXLY News Staff
Alissa Eckert/Dan Higgins/CDC
SNOHOMISH CO., Wash. — The first cases of the COVID-19 variant first seen in the United Kingdom have been detected in Washington, the State Department of Health said Saturday.
The strains found are connected to two Snohomish County residents, and were detected at the University of Washington Virology Lab, according to a release.
The lab was screening 1,035 samples between Dec. 25 and Jan. 20 for mutations of the variant (known as B.1.1.7), which was first reported in the United Kingdom.
The first case known to be found in the United States was reported in a Colorado man in his 20s back in December.