A second mutant coronavirus strain has been detected in the UK as the first continues to spread across the country.
Two UK cases of a second coronavirus variant, thought to have originated in South Africa, have been discovered Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced this afternoon - stating that it was 'highly concerning' and 'yet more transmissible' than the first variant.
The first variant is currently estimated as being 70% more transmissible than the original strain.
Anyone who has been in South Africa, where the variant emerged, in the past fortnight has been informed that they must isolate immediately.
Matt Hancock said: "Both are contacts of cases who have travelled from South Africa over the past few weeks."
He added: "We are incredibly grateful to the South African government for the rigour of their science and the openness and the transparency with which they have rightly acted as we did when we discovered a new variant here.
"This new variant is highly concerning because it is yet more transmissible and it appears to have mutated further than the new variant that has been discovered in the UK."
