South Africa Covid-19 variant found in Smethwick

Contact tracing is under way after the case was found in the Soho and Victoria ward area in Smethwick.

A case of the South Africa variant of Covid-19 has been detected in Sandwell.

The local authority said only one person so far had been identified with the variant, living in the Soho and Victoria ward area of Smethwick.

People they may have come into contact are being tested.

Lisa McNally, Director of Public Health in Sandwell, said there was no evidence of links to any other cases found in neighbouring areas.

"Extensive contact tracing is already under way and we will know more in the next day or two," she said.

If further testing is required, residents will be informed over the coming days, Sandwell Council said.

Cases were detected in nearby Birmingham and Walsall earlier in the year.

There are concerns the variant can spread faster and that current vaccines may not work quite as well against it.

It was first detected in the UK just before Christmas and by 7 April there had been more than 500 confirmed cases.