A fifth state with confirmed UK strain of coronavirus: First case found in Georgia 

Georgia officials said Tuesday that they had detected the first confirmed case of the new, more infectious strain of COVID-19 that was first identified in the U.K.

Local news affiliate Fox 5 reported that the strain was detected in a test sample provided by an 18-year-old with no travel history, suggesting that the new strain is already spreading on its own throughout the U.S.

“The emergence of this variant in our state should be a wake-up call for all Georgians,” state Department of Public Health Commissioner Katheen Toomey reportedly said.

“Even as we begin rollout of a COVID19 vaccine, we must not let down our guard and ignore basic prevention measures — wear a mask, social distance and wash your hands frequently,” Toomey added.

Big picture: Colorado, California, Florida and New York have also reported cases of the new strain, and experts say more are likely coming, given that the lack of travel history around the cases indicates that the new strain is already spreading to some degree in the community.