UK records first case of new covid-19 variant

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Friday the first case of COVID-19 variant BA.2.86 had been detected in the country in an individual with no recent travel history, which suggests a degree of community transmission within the UK.

The World Health Organisation and the US health authorities had on Thursday said they were closely monitoring a new variant of the deadly disease, although the potential impact of BA.2.86 is currently unknown. WHO designated the COVID-19 variant BA.2.86 as a ‘variant under monitoring’ due to the large number of mutations it carries.

So far, only a few sequences of the variant have been reported from a handful of countries including Israel, Denmark, and the United States of America.