3 people infected with the UK coronavirus variant in Fresno County

FRESNO, California (KFSN) – Health officials say they have discovered the first known cases of the UK coronavirus variant in Fresno County.

In a briefing on Friday afternoon, Fresno County Department of Public Health officials reported that the state reported that three people have tested positive for the UK coronavirus variant, or “B.1.1. 7 “, as it is officially known.

In the briefing, health officials acknowledged that all three cases are probably “just the tip of the iceberg” and there are likely to be many more cases of these variant strains causing COVID cases in Fresno County.

Health department contact tracers have already contacted all people infected with the variant and are working to isolate people they may have come in contact with.

B.1.1.7 is one of the so-called “concern variants” and was found to be 40 to 80 percent more transmissible. It was first detected in the UK, where it spread rapidly and caused a significant increase in COVID-19 cases in the country.

Stay tuned to ABC30 for the latest details on this developing story.