Sixteen cases of another new Covid variant have been identified in the UK.
The cases are in locations across the United Kingdom, Public Health England said, as the existence of the new variant was disclosed by officials.
Each of the 16 people who have tested positive, along with their contacts, have reportedly been traced and told to isolate.
The information was disclosed today on the Government's list of variants of concern under investigation.
That Public Health England categorisation means that it is now on their watchlist, although it is not yet one they are immediately concerned about.
It comes as surge testing was triggered after the discovery of cases of the South African variant in the North Wembley area of Brent, north London, and the TS19 postcode area in Stockton-on-Tees, in County Durham.
The new mutation shares common characteristics with the Brazil and South Africa variants which may help the virus evade some immunity from vaccination or previous infection, the BBC reports.
The cases were first discovered on February 15 and the BBC reports that experts believe it originated in the UK.
The UK now has eight variants on its watchlist.
