Connecticut officials say a person has died after contracting the UK variant of COVID-19, making it the state's first reported death from the variant.

The announcement was made Monday in a press release from the governor's office.

The governor's office did not provide any information about the person who died from the UK variant.

An additional 15 cases of the UK variant were reported in Connecticut Monday, bringing the statewide total confirmed cases to 81.

The governor's office says there are also now two confirmed cases of the South African variant in Connecticut.

One person infected is a Greenwich resident between the ages of 15 and 25 who officials say traveled to Massachusetts.

Dr. Zane Saul, chief of infectious diseases at Bridgeport Hospital, says the variants could be 10 times more contagious.

The South African strain could be potentially more contagious, but neither are more dangerous.

"If you've been completely vaccinated, the likelihood is that the virus is not going to make you sick and specifically, require hospitalization and to have a serious illness," Saul says.

Saul says he expects there will be a booster in the fall for further protection against the variants.