Omicron: Two new cases of Covid variant found in London

Both cases linked to travel from South Africa, says UK Health Security Agency

Two new cases of the Covid-19 variant Omicron have been detected in England, making it a total of five, the UK Health Security Agency has confirmed.

Both new cases have been confirmed from individuals in London, one in Croydon and the other in Wandsworth. The UKHSA has said both are linked to travel from South Africa.

A total of 11 cases have been detected in the UK, after six were identified in Scotland with four cases in the Lanarkshire area and two in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

The two latest individuals that have tested positive in London are not connected to each other and are not linked to the previously confirmed cases. The individuals and their households have been told to self-isolate.

The news comes after the government’s Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI), said today all over 18s should be available to receive their booster jab and that the gap between second vaccine doses and the booster should be reduced from six to three months.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of UKHSA, said: “It is very likely that we will find more cases over the coming days as we are seeing in other countries globally and as we increase case detection through focussed contact tracing. That’s why it’s critical that anyone with Covid-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately.”