Coronavirus Variant Found in Saratoga County, Cuomo Says

New York has detected its first case of a new variant of the coronavirus, a strain first discovered in the United Kingdom that’s considered to be more transmissible than the original disease, Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters Monday afternoon.

The case was detected in Saratoga County, and has been linked to N. Fox Jewelers on Broadway in Saratoga Springs.

Three other people linked to the jewelry store are also sick, but it’s not yet known whether they’re also infected with the variant. State labs have been screening samples for the variant since it was detected last month in the U.K.

Cuomo said the individual hadn’t traveled recently, meaning the case is likely the result of community spread in the area. That’s bad news because it means the case, likely, can’t be traced back to someone else.

Cuomo said that anyone who visited the jewelry store between Dec. 18 and Dec. 24 should contact the state.

The new variant of the disease is considered to be more transmissible than the original strain of the disease, but has not been found to be more deadly or cause different symptoms. Health experts have also predicted that the current vaccine will also protect against the new strain.