Covid: Two cases of Omicron variant identified in the UK, Sajid Javid confirms

Two cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant feared to have a higher reinfection rate have been detected in the UK, as the Government added extra African countries to the travel red list.

The individuals and all members of their households have been ordered to self-isolate after one case was detected in Chelmsford, Essex, and the other in Nottingham.

Both cases are believed to be connected and there is a link to southern Africa.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said targeted testing is now being carried out, as travel restrictions were set to be introduced for Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola.

The Health Secretary instructed those who have returned from these countries in the last 10 days to isolate and take PCR tests.

He 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.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to set out further measures during a Downing Street press conference later on Saturday.

It comes as countries rush to close their borders to nations in southern Africa to slow the spread of the strain designated a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organisation over fears it presents an increased risk of reinfection.

A scientist behind the Oxford jab has expressed optimism that existing vaccines will be effective against the new Omicron variant and said it is “extremely unlikely” it will cause a “reboot” of the pandemic in Britain.

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, who helped create the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, said experts would need to wait “several weeks” for confirmation but said existing jabs could still be effective at presenting serious illness.

The Netherlands was also of concern, with Dutch authorities saying 61 people tested positive for Covid-19 arriving on two flights from South Africa on Friday. Further tests are under way to determine if any of them had the Omicron variant.

Numerous pharmaceutical firms have said they are working to adapt their vaccines in light of the emergence of Omicron after the WHO warned that preliminary evidence suggests the variant has an increased risk of reinfection and may spread more rapidly than other strains.

Prof Sir Andrew, who also chairs the Government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said a new vaccine could be developed “very rapidly” if required because they now have a “well-oiled” process, but he offered tentative hopes the current jabs will still confer some degree of protection against the variant.