Two people have been found to have caught the new Coronavirus variant in the UK.

The cases of the most recent strain, named Omicron, have been found in Essex and Nottingham.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced this afternoon that the UK Health Security Agency had detected cases in Chelmsford and in Nottingham.

The two cases are linked, and both people are self-isolating along with their households while track and trace takes place, Mr Javid confirmed.

The new variant, confirmed to be 'of concern' but the exact effects of which are unknown, has been found in Botswana, South Africa, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.

Seven southern African countries were immediately put on the red travel list list to the UK following the discovery of the variant.

In his announcement on Saturday, the health secretary said Angola, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia would be added to that list.

He also said: "We've always been very clear that we won't hesitate to take further action if that is what is required.

"Today I can announce one thing that we are doing immediately is carrying out targeted testing and sequencing of positive cases in the two areas that are affected."

He added: "If anyone has travelled to these four countries or any of the other red-listed countries in the last four days then they must self isolate and take PCR tests."

Asked about potential changes in Covid restrictions, Mr Javid said that the government would "do whatever is necessary to protect hte progess we have made as a country.

"We've come a long way since the summer and we keep all of this under review and if we need to take further action, we will," he added.

More as we get it.