NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A Minnesota resident has tested positive for a new COVID-19 strain initially detected in Brazil, marking the United States’ first known case of the variant, officials say.
The resident, who recently traveled to Brazil, tested positive for the Brazil P.1 variant, the Minnesota Department of Health said in a press release Monday afternoon.
Scientists believe the Brazil variant is more contagious than the original, but it is not yet clear whether it results in more severe cases of COVID-19, the department noted.
“We’re thankful that our testing program helped us find this case, and we thank all Minnesotans who seek out testing when they feel sick or otherwise have reason to get a test,” Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm said in a statement.
The resident who contracted the variant lives in the Twin Cities metro area and fell sick the first week of January, the department said.
The department did not say how old the resident was, but noted that the resident “spoke with MDH case investigators after the initial test [taken on Jan. 9] came back positive for COVID-19, and reported traveling to Brazil prior to becoming ill.”