By News Desk  @bactiman63

Massachusetts health officials reports the first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 , aka the UK COVID-19 variant, has been detected in the state.

Massachusetts/National Atlas

The individual, a female Boston resident in her 20’s,  developed symptoms in early January and tested positive for COVID-19.

She had traveled to the United Kingdom and became ill the day after she returned.

She had tested negative prior to leaving the UK. The individual was interviewed by contact tracers at the time the initial positive result was received, and close contacts were identified.

A genetic sample was sent to an out-of-state laboratory as part of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) established surveillance process to identify COVID-19 variants.

To date, the CDC has reported 88 cases from 14 states in the United States.