The new Brazilian strain of Covid-19 found in the UK could likely infect people who have already had coronavirus, according to an expert in communicable diseases.
Six cases of the concerning P.1 variant were confirmed in the UK over the weekend - three in Scotland and three in England.
The Scottish Government revealed cases of the variant were identified in the north-east of the country during 10-day period of self-isolation after travelling from Brazil via Paris and London to Aberdeen in early February.
Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College, warned there has been an 'enormous wave of reinfections' across Brazil due to the mutant variant.
He said it looks likely the Brazilian variant is “breaking through” antibodies built up by previous infection.
Citing research on the Brazilian city of Manaus, published in The Lancet, he said: "It was expected that there would be quite a high level of protection there because analysis of antibodies in blood bank samples showed [Manaus] had one of the highest levels of immunity in the world coming into the second wave.
"Perhaps more than 70%, and yet they’re seeing this enormous wave of reinfections.”
"So, if you put two and two together their assumption is that’s because the new variant is breaking through those antibodies. But if that hadn’t really been proven yet, it looks likely."
Speaking about whether it was impossible to keep the door shut to new variants coming in to the UK, he added: “It’s a really, really hard challenge. The border controls, test and trace and containment hasn’t been our biggest strength.
"We see these variants popping up variably all over the world, so we’re just as liable to suffer from a homegrown one as an imported one.
"So we just need to be really on the case all the time."
It comes after a mutant strain of coronavirus first found in Brazil was discovered in Scotland.
The three Scottish residents all returned a positive test for the virus while they were doing their 10-day period of self-isolation.
Tests were then passed to scientists who detected the so-called ‘Brazilian variant’ in the testing swabs.
The strain has been been identified by Public Health Scotland as a ‘variant of concern’ with experts suggesting that it could respond ‘less well’ to current vaccines.
Trials on the impact that vaccines could have on the Covid strain are currently ongoing.
Close contacts of the three cases are said to have been identified by NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect.
Teams are now working to ensure that people who could have been infected by these first line contacts are also isolated and tested.
