Minister for Health 'deeply concerned' following detection of new Covid variant 

A young woman receives a Pfizer jab against Covid-19 in Diepsloot Township near Johannesburg (Denis Farrell/AP)

Minister Stephen Donnelly is “deeply concerned” following the emergence of a new variant of Covid-19 while the Department of Health continues to liaise with UK authorities on the matter.

In a statement, the Department of Health said it has, in recent days, been monitoring the emergence of a new variant (B.1.1.529), of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.