Connecticut on Monday reported its first known case of the so-called South African variant of COVID-19.

The variant has been detected in a Fairfield County resident, who is between the age of 60 and 70, and is hospitalized with the virus in New York, the state Department of Public Health said in a news release Monday. The person, whose condition is improving, has not traveled recently, DPH said.

Public health officials in New York notified Connecticut officials of the patient over the weekend.

This strain of the virus was first detected in South Africa in October 2020 and in the U.S. at the end of January.

Connecticut has 42 confirmed cases of the so-called U.K. variant of the virus.

Both the U.K and South African variants have been found to be more contagious. Detecting different variants of COVID-19 requires sophisticated genetic testing, which some labs in Connecticut have begun to perform, but the U.S., as whole, continues to lag behind in conducting this kind of surveillance.

“Seeing another variant in our state reminds us yet again the severity of this pandemic and reinforces the need for us to take all of the necessary precautions which have proven to be successful over the past year,” Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement Monday. 

Those precautions include wearing a face mask, social distancing and avoiding gathering with individuals outside of your household.

Acting DPH Commissioner Deidre Gifford referred to new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending that individuals “double mask” by layering a cloth mask over a surgical or medical procedure mask.

“In some instances, a cloth mask along with a surgical mask may be the best approach according to the CDC in order to prevent droplets from escaping or entering through gaps in masks,” Gifford said in a statement.

The state on Monday reported 2,905 new COVID-19 cases since Friday, a daily positive rate of 2.98%. The number of patients hospitalized as result of the virus statewide decreased by 56 over the weekend, while associated-deaths rose by 66.

Forty patients are hospitalized in New London County, an increase of one since Friday, state data shows. Eight additional coronavirus-related deaths and 221 new cases were reported in the county over the weekend.

Lawrence + Memorial Hospital reported it was treating 22 COVID patients on Monday and Westerly Hospital, 6.