UpdatedSat, Apr 17, 2021 at 10:55 am ET Replies(54) It's difficult to determine just how prevalent COVID-19 variants have become in New Jersey. (Shutterstock) NEW JERSEY — COVID-19 variants — especially the U.K. strain — are spreading quickly through New Jersey. State officials say they play a major part in New Jersey's COVID-19 infection rate, which ranks second nationally. But publicly available data makes it difficult to determine how prevalent they've become statewide. The strain first identified in the U.K. — associated with greater contagiousness and potentially higher mortality — is now the most common in the United States, according to Dr. Rochelle Walensky, president of the Centers for Disease Control. Data indicates that three-quarters of COVID-19 cases in New York City may be some form of variant.