February 16 (SeeNews) - Montenegro has confirmed the first cases of the coronavirus variant first detected in the UK, the country's public health institute said on Tuesday.
The institute received confirmation from the Charite Laboratory in Berlin that the 'British' variant of COVID-19 was found through viral genome sequencing in seven submitted samples, it said in a statement.
"In line with the current epidemiological situation in the country, and taking into account the official confirmation of the presence of the 'British' strain, the Working Group of the Institute of Public Health will propose stricter health measures," the health institute said.
According to data from theWorld Health Organisation, the number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in Montenegro since the outbreak of the pandemic totalled 68,921 as of February 16. The number of coronavirus-related deaths was 882. Montenegro has a population of 600,000 people.
The British government said in late December that the newly identified strain of Covid-19 in the UK transmits more quickly than other variants, although there is no evidence that it is more likely to cause severe disease or mortality.