Two cases of the new Covid-19 variant have been identified in the UK, according to the health secretary. Sajid Javid said that the cases of the Omicron variant were linked and that there is a connection with travel to southern Africa.
The individuals involved are self-isolating and further testing and contact tracing is taking place, he added. The two cases of the variant have been discovered in Chelmsford and in Nottingham, the Department of Health & Social Care said. “The UK Health Security Agency is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to have been infectious,” the department said. “In response to the developing situation, the UK is taking decisive action to protect public health.