Germany records first case of UK COVID strain
The woman had arrived in Frankfurt airport on December 20 from London Heathrow
Berlin: Germany on Thursday recorded its first case of the mutant coronavirus variant sweeping Britain, after a woman who flew in from London tested positive for the strain.
"It is the first known case in Germany," the health ministry of Baden-Wuerttemberg state said in a statement.
The woman had arrived in Frankfurt airport on December 20 from London Heathrow.
She was driven home by her relatives into quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19 on arrival at the airport.
A day later, she began showing mild symptoms and a second test also turned up positive.
A sample of her swab test was sent to a specialised laboratory for further analysis.
"Today the virus variant B.1.1.7 was detected there," added the regional ministry.
Germany on Tuesday extended a ban on arrivals from the United Kingdom until January 6 after the new strain, which British authorities say is more infectious, appeared there.
