U.K. Detects Six Cases of Brazilian Coronavirus Variant

(Bloomberg) --

Six cases of a Brazilian coronavirus variant have been detected in the U.K., including one in an unidentified individual, Public Health England said, warning the mutation may be more resistant to vaccines.

Two cases in England are from the same household in Gloucestershire with a history of travel to Brazil, while another three have been detected in Scotland, PHE said on Sunday in an emailed statement. Authorities are trying to discover the identity of a third English case who failed to complete their test registration card, making follow-up details unavailable.

“The P.1 variant has been designated ‘of concern’ as it shares some important mutations with the variant first identified in South Africa,” PHE said. “It is possible that this variant may respond less well to current vaccines but more work is needed to understand this.”

Health officials are contacting all passengers on the Feb. 10 Swiss Air flight LX318 from Sao Paulo to London Heathrow via Zurich in order to test them and their households, PHE said.

A separate statement from the Scottish government said the three cases isolating north of the border flew from Brazil to Aberdeen via Paris and London. Anyone on the flight from London to Aberdeen will be contacted.

The variant of concern originated in the Amazonian city of Manaus.

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