Close contacts of woman with COVID-19 variant in Washtenaw County identified

DETROIT – On Tuesday, the Washtenaw County Health Department announced seven close contacts of the first person to carry a COVID-19 variant in Michigan have been identified and are being tested.

The contacts are being monitored more closely than normal, according to the health department.

As of Tuesday it was still uncertain whether the contacts were infected with the variant or symptomatic.

The first case of the COVID-19 variant believed to be more contagious was detected in Michigan over the weekend.

Officials with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced Saturday, Jan. 16 that an adult female living in Washtenaw County contracted a new COVID-19 variant, known as B.1.1.7.

Officials say she recently traveled to the U.K, where the variant was first identified and has recently sent part of that country into a strict lockdown to help curb virus spread.

READ MORE: First case of COVID variant detected in Michigan: What to know