UK Coronavirus Strain Appears In Worcester County

WORCESTER, MA — A new coronavirus variant thought to be more infectious has entered Worcester County, health officials said Thursday.

A county resident who traveled over the holidays recently tested positive for the strain, Worcester officials said Thursday. The B.1.1.7 variant has appeared in 14 states so far, and a Boston woman who recently traveled to England has also tested positive for it.

Officials did not say where the Worcester County resident lives.

Health officials believe the B.1.1.7 strain has likely spread beyond more than just two local residents. The strain is more contagious than the initial form of the disease, scientists believe. Health officials say that a more contagious strain can end up being more deadly, simply because it can infect more people.

At the same time, Worcester reported a noticeable drop in new cases on Thursday. The city reported 885 new cases following two weeks when new cases topped 1,200.

The state has also seen a slight drop in infections. Over the past several weeks, the Massachusetts "R naught" — a measure of how many new cases an infected person will spread — has been below 1. The number of cities and towns on the state's "high-risk" last also dropped on Thursday, according to state data.

Gov. Charlie Baker is lifting some restrictions put in place in November as cases were rising. Worcester officials also announced Thursday that City Hall would reopen on Jan. 25 for appointments.