Two people in the UK have been found to have been infected by the new Covid-19 Omicron variant.
The two cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant have been discovered in Chelmsford and in Nottingham, the Department of Health & Social Care said.
The individuals that have tested positive, and all members of their households, are being re-tested and told to self-isolate while further testing and contact tracing is under way, it added.
“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. Confirmed cases and contacts are being followed up and requested to isolate and get tested as necessary.”
We have been made aware by @UKHSA of two UK cases of the Omicron variant. The two cases are linked and there is a connection with travel to southern Africa.
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) November 27, 2021
These individuals are self-isolating with their households while further testing and contact tracing is underway.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Thanks to our world class genomic sequencing we have been made aware of two UK cases of the Omicron variant.
“We have moved rapidly and the individuals are self-isolating while contact tracing is ongoing.
“We will do all we can to protect the UK public against this emerging threat and that is why we are surging testing capacity to the impacted communities and introducing travel restrictions on a further four countries: Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola. We will not hesitate to take further action if required.
“This is a stark reminder that we are not yet out of this pandemic.
“Getting the vaccine has never been more important – please come forward for your first jab if you haven’t already and if eligible, book your booster as soon as possible.”
England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said: “We will continue to work closely with the international community to quickly gather and analyse information on this variant to understand any possible increase in transmissibility or resistance to vaccines.”
The UK is the second European nation to have reported the presence of Omicron after Belgium said it had identified a single case on Friday.
South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe were added to the red list on Friday, and the UK imposed a ban on flights leaving from those nations.
This is a breaking news story, more to follow.
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