80 Quarantined After New Covid-19 Variant Found

Health officials have ordered the quarantine of more than 80 residents of a building in Jordan on Saturday after the discovery of a highly infectious coronavirus variant.

The N501Y mutant strain was uncovered in the Parkes Building.

While an overnight lockdown and mandatory testing of the residents didn't find any additional infections, the Centre for Health Protection ordered the quarantine, because of the number of sub-divided units in the building, which is an older structure.

Earlier, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Edward Yau, told a radio programme that it's the first time that this Covid-19 variant has been found in the Hong Kong community.

He said the government is extremely concerned about the latest developments, and will do what it can to further boost the city's anti-epidemic strategy.

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