An even more infectious strain of COVID-19 from South Africa has been discovered in the UK as hundreds of stranded Irish passengers arrive into Dublin Airport.
The strain, found in two people in the UK, has been found to spread even quicker than the variant that has caused flights and passenger ferries into Dublin to be cancelled.
Tory health secretary Matt Hancock announced the new strain today, and warned that it is more transmissible than the strain currently causing cases to skyrocket in England, Scotland and Wales.
He has warned that all travellers into the UK from South Africa are to isolate immediately.
Yesterday, 350 stranded Irish people arrived home from the UK. A travel ban for commercial flights and ferries remains in place until December 31.
Two special consular flights - one operated by Aer Lingus and one operated by Ryanair – were organised by the Department of Foreign Affairs to bring Irish residents home from Britain. A smaller number were also accommodated on ferry routes.
And today, Dr Colm Henry warned that the more infectious UK strain has probably already arrived in Ireland.
COVID-19 cases in Ireland have tripled within the space of a week, giving reason to believe that it arrived on the island weeks before.
He warned that people who have travelled to Ireland from the UK since December 11 should be eating their Christmas dinner alone in their bedroom.
