A coronavirus variant first detected in the United Kingdom has surfaced in Marquette County, the first case identified in the Upper Peninsula, health officials said Tuesday.

The Marquette County Health Department was notified that genetic testing confirmed the B.1.1.7 variant of the virus that causes COVID-19.

This variant is concerning because it is thought to spread more easily and quickly, the MCHD said. Compared with the standard SARS-CoV-2 virus, the B.1.1.7 variant is about 50% more transmissible, potentially increasing numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

Once the variant has been identified, additional public health efforts are required to slow community spread, the MCHD warned, advising social distancing, mask use, hand hygiene and other mitigation strategies, plus getting vaccinated.

The MCHD announced Monday that COVID-19 positive cases within Marquette County recently have shown a dramatic spike, nearly tripling within the past week.

“Approximately one-third of these new cases have been associated with outbreaks occurring at youth sporting events, church events and child day care environments,” the announcement stated. “To continue to move our communities toward reopening, it is imperative that we all work together to reduce the rate of COVID-19 illness.”

State data Tuesday showed 25 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Upper Peninsula — including one in Dickinson County — and a new virus-related death in Menominee County.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ coronavirus website Tuesday listed 25 new confirmed cases in the Upper Peninsula: seven in Marquette County, five in

Chippewa County, four in Delta County, three in Houghton and Mackinac counties, two in Schoolcraft County and one each in Dickinson and Alger counties; Menominee County’s count was reduced by one. Along with the new death in Menominee County, the state reported two new deaths in Chippewa County.

Using only the state’s figures, the Upper Peninsula as of Tuesday has had 16,655 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 392 deaths.

Across the U.P., the MDHHS data site Tuesday had Keweenaw County at 118 confirmed cases and 30 probable, along with one death and one probable death; Luce County, 132 confirmed cases and 107 probable, one probable death; Schoolcraft County, 235 confirmed cases and 34 probable, four deaths and one probable; Alger County, 280 confirmed, 157 probable and one death, four probable; Mackinac County, 297 confirmed cases and 156 probable, three deaths; Ontonagon County, 366 confirmed, 56 probable and 20 deaths, one probable; Baraga County, 512 confirmed cases, 103 probable and 33 deaths; Chippewa County, 748 confirmed cases and 1,054 probable, and 25 deaths, four probable; Iron County, 867 confirmed cases and 60 probable, 40 confirmed deaths and nine probable; Gogebic County, 951 confirmed cases and 347 probable, 21 confirmed deaths and 28 probable; Menominee County, 1,630 confirmed cases, 272 probable and 37 deaths, two probable; Dickinson County, 2,144 confirmed cases and 246 probable, 55 confirmed deaths and 15 probable; Houghton County, 2,174 confirmed cases, 532 probable, 31 confirmed deaths and eight probable; Delta County, 2,705 confirmed cases and 492 probable, 66 confirmed deaths and 19 probable; and Marquette County, 3,498 confirmed cases, 533 probable and 55 deaths, one probable. State numbers are updated almost daily but can lag behind local reports or have other discrepancies.

The MDHHS on Tuesday posted 2,048 confirmed new coronavirus positives in Michigan for a total of 612,628. The state added 27 new deaths — including six that happened earlier but recently were verified through vital records and testing, according to the MDHHS — to reach 15,810.

For Wisconsin counties in the region, the state Department of Health Services’ COVID-19 data site Tuesday had two new confirmed positives in both Vilas and Iron counties and one each in Marinette and Forest counties.

The DHS on Tuesday had Marinette County with 3,982 confirmed cases, 405 probable cases and 64 deaths, three probable deaths; Vilas County, 2,180 confirmed, 127 probable and 38 deaths, two probable; Forest County, 930 confirmed, 72 probable and 23 deaths, three probable; Iron County, 557 confirmed, 119 probable and 21 deaths, 19 probable; and Florence County, 423 confirmed, 49 probable and 12 deaths. As in Michigan, state numbers are updated daily but can lag behind local reports or have other discrepancies.

Wisconsin added 480 new positives Tuesday for a total of 570,412 confirmed COVID-19 cases to date. The state recorded three new deaths Tuesday to reach 6,539.