5th Case Of New Coronavirus Variant Found In Colorado

Two more cases of the coronavirus variant have been reported in Colorado, bringing the total to five, state public health officials announced Wednesday night.

A person in their 20s from Boulder County tested positive for the new strain, officials said. A private lab discovered the variant, and the state lab confirmed it.

Preliminary research shows that the new variant, which was found in the United Kingdom, is more contagious but not more severe.

The first people to test positive for the new strain were two members of the Colorado National Guard, officials said.

In a diagnostic test for the first case found in Colorado, a signal for what's called the "S-gene" wasn't detected, and its absence is considered an essential signature for the variant.

A staff member at the Veterans Community Living Center at Fitzsimons in Aurora has also tested positive for the new variant, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Another possible case at the veterans' center was under investigation, officials said.

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The approved COVID-19 vaccines are believed to be effective against the variant, officials said.