COVID-19: UK Detects Two Cases Of New Variant Omicron

Two people in the UK have been found to be infected with the new coronavirus (COVID) variant, Omicron, the health secretary has said.

Sajid Javid said the cases in Brentwood, Essex, and Nottingham were confirmed by the UK Health Security Agency after genomic sequencing.

They are linked and connected to travel in southern Africa, and both cases and their households were self-isolating.

The new variant has also been identified in South Africa, Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.

The news followed a press conference by Boris Johnson, Prime Minister at Downing Street with Sir Patrick Vallance, Chief Scientific Adviser to the government and Prof Chris Whitty, UK’s Chief Medical Office.

The new Omicron variant was first reported to the World Health Organisation from South Africa on Wednesday. Early evidence suggests it has a higher re-infection risk.

Countries around the world are currently racing to introduce travel bans and restrictions on southern African countries in an effort to contain the variant’s spread.

Ten countries are now on the UK’s travel red list meaning, from Sunday at 04:00 GMT, all arrivals will have to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days.

On Friday, the UK placed South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini on the list.

In his announcement on Saturday, the health secretary said Angola, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia would be added.

Mr Javid said: “If anyone has travelled to these four countries or any of the other red-listed countries in the last four days then they must self isolate and take PCR tests.”

 

Omicron

Omicron

Omicron

Omicron

Omicron