First case of South African coronavirus variant found in Central Virginia

The first case of the coronavirus variant out of South Africa has been found in Central Virginia, according to the Virginia Dept. of Health.

Officials said the person who has the variant didn’t travel at all during the exposure period.

The B.1.351 variant first emerged in South Africa late last year and is tied to the increased person-to-person transmission of COVID-19.

According to the health department, there’s no evidence at this point that the variant causes a more severe illness.

As of March 8, the variant has been found in 19 other states.