A more transmissible variant of the novel coronavirus is now widespread in Northeast Tennessee and is fueling new cases and hospitalizations across the region, Ballad Health officials said Wednesday. âToday, I think weâre seeing that we do have a fair amount of spread (of the B.1.1.7 variant) in the region,â said Ballad Chief Operating Officer Eric Deaton. âB.1.1.7 has overtaken the original strain of COVID-19 in the region, and really now the B.1.1.7 strain is the dominant strain that weâre seeing.â The B.1.1.7 variant was first identified in the United Kingdom last September, and is the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States.