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Eight more cases of a highly contagious coronavirus variant have been identified in Illinois, state public health officials said Monday.

A total of nine cases of the B.1.1.7. variant, first found in the United Kingdom, have now been confirmed in Illinois. All have been in Cook County, including in the city of Chicago. The initial single case was reported on Jan. 15 in Chicago.

The people who have contracted the coronavirus caused by the variant range in age from 12 to 63.

The state on Monday officially entered its second phase of vaccinations, widening the eligibility to anyone 65 and older and certain “essential” workers, including first responders and teachers. Based on available information, the vaccines in use will still be effective against the strain, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in a statement Monday.

“With reports of this variant already in many states in the U.S., we anticipated its spread here in Illinois,” Ezike said. “Early studies have found that this variant spreads more easily than what we have seen with the current prevailing variant. We are following closely to see if there is evidence that infections by this variant cause more severe disease or death.”

Illinois and Chicago public health officials urged continued hand-washing, mask-wearing and physical distancing from others.

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said the city’s health department is working with state and federal public health officials on COVID-19 “strain surveillance,” and prioritizing monitoring the presence and spread of new variants.

Coronavirus variants have also emerged in South Africa and Brazil. Representatives for Moderna, the company that developed one of the two coronavirus vaccines that are currently being administered in the United States, have said its vaccine is effective against the new strains from Britain and South Africa, but appear to provide less of a shield against the latter.

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The company has said it is developing a booster for its current vaccine.

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