New cases of a COVID-19 variant first identified in the United Kingdom have been confirmed in Montgomery County and by University of Pennsylvania, indicating that a more transmissible strain is spreading throughout the region, write Justine McDaniel, Oona Goodin-Smith, Rob Tornoe, and Allison Steele for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

On Wednesday, it was confirmed that four people who caught the mutated variant of the virus have spread it to others in the county. None of the four had recently traveled.

“All of this signals to us that the variant is likely much more widespread within the community than can be confirmed through lab testing,” said Dr. Val Arkoosh, chair of the Montgomery County commissioners.

According to experts, while the new strain is more easily transmitted, it has not mutated enough to resist existing vaccines.

Meanwhile, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky warned that despite the positive trend of decreasing numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, people should keep their guard up.

”The continued proliferation of variants remains of great concern, and is a threat that could reverse the recent positive trends we are seeing,” she said.

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