Seven confirmed cases of the Covid-19 variant which was first detected in India have been reported in Northern Ireland, the Department of Health has said.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride said a detailed health protection risk assessment would be carried out along with contact tracing. "This news is not entirely unexpected and plans are in place for such an eventuality," he said. "While preventative measures - including travel restrictions - are very important, the assessment is that these will delay rather than permanently prevent the spread of variants already detected elsewhere on these islands." Latest coronavirus stories Dr McBride added: "Confirmation of these cases does not mean this variant is going to become the most