BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – Two people in Erie County are confirmed to have the UK strain of COVID-19, Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office announced Tuesday.
As of Tuesday, nearly 64,000 people in Erie County have contracted COVID-19, though this is the first time that the UK strain has been discovered in the county.
Governor Andrew Cuomo has warned of the new strains of the virus, saying it is more contagious and deadly than the original strains.
According to the CDC, experts in the UK reported last month this variant may be associated with an increased risk of death compared to other variants, but more studies are needed to confirm this finding. It was first detected in the United States in December and first arrived in New York State in early-January.
A strain of the virus from South Africa and Brazil have also been identified. All three mutations appear to spread more easily and quickly than other variants, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19.