A more easily transmissible variant of the coronavirus first found in the United Kingdom is likely in Vermont after wastewater testing in Burlington detected the presence of two virus mutations associated with the variant.Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger notified the state health Department and the public after test results from the city’s main wastewater plant indicated a low level of the U.K. COVID variant. “By identifying the variant early, while there appears to be very low levels of the new variant circulating within Burlington, we have an opportunity to heighten our community vigilance and slow the spread of this more contagious virus.”
The Health Department will work to confirm the presence of the variant through genetic sequencing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contents © copyright 2021. All rights reserved.