Omicron cases confirmed in Cambridgeshire, Bucks and Herts

People in South Africa have been taking PCR tests before travelling to Britain

The first case of the new Covid-19 Omicron variant in Cambridgeshire has been confirmed.

Jyoti Atri, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's director of public health, said officials were identifying any close contacts of the individual.

She said the person had "recently returned to the UK from an area where Omicron is circulating."

A case of the variant has also been found in Buckinghamshire, and another in Three Rivers in Hertfordshire.

This is alongside the existing cases in Brentwood, Essex and North Norfolk.

Ms Atri said: "Omicron is a variant that we are concerned about as we need to understand how much protection the current vaccines offer against this variant, if it is more transmissible or has a worse effect on people than the current variants."

• Queues for booster doses and Covid vaccines

• EasyJet says Omicron has weakened bookings

• 10,000 people to be jabbed at mass event

Councillor Richard Howitt, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council's adults and health committee, said: "The fact that this case has been identified so quickly should give people assurance that local health systems are operating effectively and everything which can be done is being done in the fight against Covid."

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the case was in the South Cambridgeshire district in the county.