Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Health

WHO says in close contact with UK officials on new COVID-19 virus variant

A British government health information advertisement highlighting new restrictions amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is seen in London, Britain, December 19, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville

The World Health Organization said on Saturday it was in close contact with UK officials over a new COVID-19 virus variant.

"They'll (UK officials) continue to share info & results of their analysis & ongoing studies. We'll update Member States & public as we learn more about the characteristics of this virus variant & any implications", WHO said in a tweet https://bit.ly/34rB10s.

A new strain of coronavirus identified in the United Kingdom is up to 70% more infectious but it is not thought to be more deadly and vaccines should still be effective, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and scientists said on Saturday.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.