COVID-19: Two cases of Omicron variant detected in the UK – with targeted testing to be rolled out to affected areas | UK news

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The Minister of Health said that two cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant had been detected in the UK.

Sajid Javid also said there would be targeted testing in the areas where cases were found – in Chelmsford and Nottingham.

He said the two people are now self-isolating with their family, while more tests are being done.

The health minister added that the two cases are “linked”, and that link has been traced in South Africa.

In addition, four other countries have been added to the “red list” for travel as of 4 a.m. on Sunday: Angola, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia.

Mr Javid said he only found out “late last night” when he was contacted by the UK’s Health Security Agency.

And in warning that new measures may be on the way, he said: “We have always been very clear that we will not hesitate to take further action if that is what is needed.

“If anyone has traveled to any of these four countries, or any of the other countries on the Red List recently in the past 10 days, they should self-isolate and take PCR tests.”

Boris Johnson is due to take part in a press conference at 5 pm with Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Officer Sir Patrick Vallance “to establish further action”.

Mr. Javid added when announcing: “This is a true reminder that this pandemic is not yet over. If there is one thing everyone can do now, is if they qualify, please take your vaccine, whether it’s the first shot, the second shot, or the booster shot.”

The World Health Organization on Friday declared Omicron a variable of concern, placing it in the same category as the delta variable, causing waves of infections to spread around the world and forcing many European countries to re-enter into lockdown.

The new variant is considered more dangerous because it has about twice as many mutations as delta, but experts say the amount of concern is still being investigated.

Omicron, also known as B.1.1.529, has been discovered in Belgium, Israel, Hong Kong, and possibly Germany and the Czech Republic.

UK officials were adamant that the reason two cases are now detected in the UK is as much because the UK is a world leader in genetic sequencing, as it was because the UK is likely to be somewhere with the cases.

Governments around the world have suspended flights to and from countries in South Africa as a result of revelations about the alternative.

And it will heighten concerns about further action as Christmas approaches.

Mr. Javid said: “We have always been really clear that we will do whatever is necessary to protect the progress that we have made as a country. We have come a long way, especially since the summer, and we are keeping all of this under review. If we need to take further action, we will.”

“Everything we know about this alternative, our international partners know. We’ve been very open, which is the case, of course, to helping people understand why we are concerned.”

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