Britain battles a new strain of coronavirus, at this crucial time UK health secretary Matt Hancock said another new strain of COVID-19 has been detected whose origin is South Africa. Secretary said, "Anyone who has been in South Africa during the last fortnight or anyone who was in close contact with anyone in South Africa must be quarantined immediately". He added, "all travellers from South Africa in the past two weeks must isolate immediately due to the new variant which has been identified". 

He further said, "The development is “highly concerning” because the new variant is more transmissible and appears to have mutated further". Hancock informed South Africa has been placed in immediate travel restriction with two variant cases detected in the country. As the virus continues to increase in the country, the health secretary informed that there has been a significant number of new variant cases rising in East Anglia. Essex, Norfolk, Sussex, Surrey, Oxfordshire and Hampshire moves to Tier 4 restrictions from Boxing Day while Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Swindon, Isle of Wight, New Forest, Northamptonshire, Cheshire and Warrington jumps to Tier 3 restrictions.

"Cornwall and Herefordshire will go into Tier 2 from Boxing Day," he said. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson last Saturday had revealed a new strain of the virus was discovered which was "70 per cent" more transferable while announcing Tier 4 lockdown measures across England. This revelation had lead several countries to impose travel restrictions on UK which is expected to continue at least till the New Year. 

WHO experts to meet over new Variant, EU ease travel bans

Spread of mutated variant, Boris Johnson mulls stricter lockdown

Indian Government issues guidelines for UK returnees, Covid 19 new variant