British variant of coronavirus is the most common in the United States

A variant of the coronavirus first identified in Britain is now the most common strain circulating in USA.

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, says that the strain, known as B.1.1.7, is “now the most common lineage circulating in the United States.”

The strain has been shown to be more contagious and infectious in the younger American population, which is why the number of cases increased in recent weeks, Walensky said.

He added that the new outbreaks are linked to youth sports and daycare. He urged states where the number of cases is increasing to limit or suspend youth sports activities to stop transmission.

The United States leads the world with 30.8 million confirmed cases and more than 556,000 deaths.