24 Dec

Britain has detected another new variant of the coronavirus in contacts of people who have travelled from South Africa.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told reporters on Wednesday that a new strain was discovered in two people who had come into contact with travelers from South Africa, where a new variant is spreading.

He said the new strain is even more transmissible than the variant currently spreading in the UK. He called for a quarantine of people who visited South Africa within the past two weeks.

The health secretary said the government plans to expand tough restrictions, including those on people's outings, to wider areas, starting on Saturday. He warned that the medical care system could be strained.

The country confirmed a record 39,237 new infection cases on Wednesday.

NHK