Mexican border state of Tamaulipas reports first case of new coronavirus strain

The government of Tamaulipas confirmed the detection of the new strain of coronavirus in an international traveler

by: Elizabeth Gomez-Patino

Posted: Jan 11, 2021 / 12:35 PM CST

Updated: Jan 11, 2021 / 12:35 PM CST

HARLINGEN, Texas (KVEO)—The Tamaulipas government confirmed on Sunday the entry of an international traveler infected with the new strain of coronavirus, known as B117.

According to a news release, state officials said the infected person arrived to Matamoros on Dec. 29 from Mexico city.

Buenos días, comenzamos el día con el informe a los medios de comunicación estatales y nacionales sobre la identificación de un paciente confirmado de la nueva cepa variante del SARS-COV2 en nuestro estado. Hago un llamado a la población a seguir los cuidados de @TamaulipasSalud pic.twitter.com/ya3xxTsynA
— Gloria Molina Gamboa (@DraGloriaMolina) January 11, 2021

“Being confirmed to COVID-19 and according to the regulations, the Federation was requested to process the sample in order to rule out the carriage of strains not known in the country.” reads the release, “The result was positive for the new variant of SARS-CoV-2, which appeared for the first time in mid-September in the United Kingdom and which has become the predominant variant in that country.”

Secretary of state health Gloria Molina Gamboa, specified that travelers and the flight crew were immediately notified. Gamboa said they all resulted in negative results.