The Latest: 1st north Nevada case of UK variant is confirmed

RENO, Nevada — Health officials have confirmed the first northern Nevada case of a COVID-19 variant that originated in the United Kingdom, and they’re trying to determine if the infection linked to a large gathering in Washoe County may have spread to others.

At least eight cases related to the U.K. variant have already been confirmed in southern Nevada. The first was in the Las Vegas area in late January.

The new one confirmed in Washoe County — which includes Reno and Sparks — involves a woman in her 30s whose infection is linked to a gathering of more than 60 people from multiple states, county health district officer Kevin Dick announced late Friday.

Seventeen additional COVID-19 cases have been linked to the same event, although not all of the people who have tested positive are from Washoe County and it’s not yet known whether they are infected with the UK variant, Dick said.

Additional genomic sequencing is under way, but many specimens are not available for genomic sequencing, he said.

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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

— Biden boosts US vaccine stockpile as world waits

— IRS says new round of COVID relief payments on the way

— Most of California to reopen as vaccine eligibility expands

— COVID-19 deaths falling but Americans ‘must remain vigilant’

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Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

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