First European case of new Covid variant detected in Belgium

Variant found in unvaccinated woman with no links to southern Africa, as UK bans flights from six countries

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The first European case of the new B.1.1.529 variant has been detected in Belgium, as the UK imposed new restrictions on travel from South Africa and five other nearby countries because of the risk that it may evade vaccines.

Just hours after the UK health secretary, Sajid Javid, warned it was highly likely the new variant has spread further than where it was first discovered in South Africa, Belgium recorded a case in a woman who had recently travelled from Egypt via Turkey.