TOMPKINS COUNTY, N.Y. (WETM-TV) – The Tompkins County Health Department is announcing that a positive case of the UK variant of COVID-19 has been identified in Tompkins County.

The single case was found through Cornell University’s COVID-19 testing lab, as part of its efforts through Cayuga Health Friday evening.

According to health officials, the person entered quarantine immediately after returning from travel and was placed in isolation.

The regional New York State Department of Health office and New York State Wadsworth Public Health Laboratory have been notified of the result.

The contact tracing investigation is complete, and no close contacts have been identified.

Tompkins County Public Health Director Frank Kruppa said, “While this variant is more contagious, we are confident that we detected the positive case immediately and the individual did not have any close contacts. We all still have a part in stopping the spread and must continue to wear masks, avoid crowds, and keep distance from one another”.