Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office has announced two cases of the UK variant of the coronavirus have been reported in Erie County.
These are among 18 new cases of the UK variant found in the state. The New York total is now at 154 and includes two other cases in the Western New York region: one in late January reported in Niagara County and one earlier this month in Allegany County.
Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming counties have not had any UK virus cases, but elsewhere in their Finger Lakes region, one case was found in Ontario County.
The UK variant, first reported in Great Britain, is more contagious and more deadly that other COVID-19 viruses.
