Health officials believe the new and more contagious strain of COVID-19 is likely soon to be, or is already in, East Idaho.
The new variant of COVID-19, called SARS-CoV-2, B.1.1.7, has been detected in numerous states, including Wyoming. On Saturday, the Wyoming Department of Health confirmed the state’s first case of the variant was found in a Teton County adult man.
Early contact tracing indicates the virus was transmitted locally, which leads Teton County, Idaho health officials to "expect that (the variant) is or will soon be in Teton County, Idaho," according to their recent press release.