(Portland, OR)  --  Health officials are confirming the presence of a new, more contagious variant of COVID-19 in Oregon.  The Oregon Health Authority says a person form the University of Portland has tested positive for the new variant.  Officials say the patient did not travel recently, which means the virus was contracted locally from someone else in the community.  Officials are continuing to investigate how the transmission occurred.  The new strain of COVID-19 has been detected in several other states, including California.