RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) – The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced Friday that a case of the COVID-19 B.1.1.7 variant, which first emerged in the United Kingdom in late 2020, has been identified in Eastern Virginia.

Officials say the sample came from an adult resident of Eastern Virginia with no history of travel outside of Virginia.

The B.1.1.7 variant is associated with increased person-to-person transmission of COVID-19. 

Officials say a preliminary report from experts in the United Kingdom indicates that this variant causes more severe illness than other variants, but more studies are needed to confirm this finding.

In addition, a second case of the B.1.351 COVID-19 variant was also identified in an adult resident of Eastern Virginia.

The B.1.351 variant was first identified in South Africa. Health officials say that currently, there is no evidence to suggest that this variant has any impact on disease severity.

A recent report says that the B.1.1.7 variant has been present in Virginia. As of Feb. 5, there were four cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7, which were in Northwest Virginia and Northern Virginia.

Health officials say that as of Feb. 12, Virginia has now identified a total of six cases of the B.1.1.7 variant and two cases of the B.1.351 variant.

For more information about COVID-19 variants, visit the VDH COVID-19 Testing website and the CDC New COVID-19 Variants website.