First Omicron Variant Cases Discovered in U.K. Says Health Secretary

The U.K has confirmed its first cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant a day after it announced travel restrictions from southern Africa.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said on Saturday that he had been informed by the U.K Health Security Agency (UKHSA) of two cases of the Omicron variant.

“The two cases are linked and there is a connection with travel to southern Africa,” he tweeted.

“These individuals are self-isolating with their households while further testing and contact tracing is underway,” he added.

In follow-up tweets, Javid said that as a precaution, additional targeted testing would take place “in the affected areas—Nottingham and Chelmsford—and sequencing all positive cases.”

Chelmsford is about 30 miles east of London, in the county of Essex, while Nottingham is about 100 miles north of the British capital, in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands.

Javid said the U.K would add Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola to the six southern African countries already on its travel red list, effective from 4 a.m. Sunday.

This is a developing story.

The U.K has confirmed its first cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant a day after it announced travel restrictions from southern Africa.Health Secretary Sajid Javid said on Saturday that he had been informed by the U.K Health Security Agency (UKHSA) of two cases of the Omicron variant.”The two cases are linked and there is a connection with travel to southern Africa,” he tweeted.”These individuals are self-isolating with their households while further testing and contact tracing is underway,” he added.In follow-up tweets, Javid said that as a precaution, additional targeted testing would take place “in the affected areas—Nottingham and Chelmsford—and sequencing all positive cases.”Chelmsford is about 30 miles east of London, in the county of Essex, while Nottingham is about 100 miles north of the British capital, in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands.Javid said the U.K would add Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola to the six southern African countries already on its travel red list, effective from 4 a.m. Sunday.This is a developing story. A healthcare worker does a Covid-19 test on a traveller at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on November 27, 2021. The U.K. has banned flights from South Africa following the discovery of a new Covid-19 variant Omicron. Phill Magakoe/Getty