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More contagious U.K. COVID-19 variant strain found in King County

KING COUNTY, Wash. — A case of the COVID-19 variant strain found in the United Kingdom has been found in King County, Public Health -Seattle & King County reported on Friday.

The University of Washington Medicine notified the health officials that the B117 strain was identified in a test sample, which originated in the county.

The strain has also been found in Snohomish and Pierce counties.

The strain reportedly spreads faster and has become the dominant strain in the U.K., where it was first identified.

County health officials said, “The variant strain spreads in the same ways as other COVID-19 strains, it’s just better at it. That means we need to get better at our countermeasures: masks, physical distance, good ventilation and staying home when possible.”

Dr. Jeff Duchin, the public health officer for King County said, “This virus has been working out. It’s gotten faster and more fit. And we need to fight smarter and harder to beat it.

“We should expect the variant strains to become widespread here, and that will make the outbreak harder for us to control. But we have the advantage of early warning to help us prepare.”

Officials said that it is likely that the vaccines that developed already will be “highly effective against it, though that’s something the scientific community overall will keep a close eye on.”