Mutant strain of coronavirus reaches the US | First Thing

The US has reported its first case of the highly contagious new strain of Covid spreading in the UK. Plus, the state department agrees to sell $290m in bombs to Saudi Arabia

Good morning.

The US has reported its first case of the new strain of coronavirus spreading in the UK. A man in Colorado was identified as having the mutant form of the virus, known as B.1.1.7, which is thought to be more contagious than other strains. The circulation of the strain in the UK has triggered even stricter lockdown measures, and prompted other countries to restrict travel from the UK.