Small number of cases of new Covid variant found in Northern Ireland

A small number of cases of a new form of Covid-19 have been identified in NI (Danny Lawson/PA)

A small number of cases of a new variant of the Omicron strain of Covid-19 have been discovered in Northern Ireland, public health officials said.

The new form of the virus, known as Omicron XE, is a recombinant of the Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 variants.