Covid-19: Manx virus case was South African variant

The South African variant is more transmissible than earlier strains of coronavirus

A person who had Covid-19 in January had contracted the highly transmissible South African variant of the virus, the Isle of Man's public health director has confirmed.

The person went into isolation after travelling to the island and has since recovered, the government said.

Henrietta Ewart said the case served as a reminder that it is "imperative" people adhered to isolation rules.

There have been no unexplained cases of the virus on the island in 24 days.

The last cases found at all were in two people who travelled to the island on 29 January and then went into isolation.

The island came out of its second lockdown on Monday after eradicating community transmission for a second time, declaring an end to social distancing.

The coronavirus variant identified in South Africa was first detected in the UK on 22 December and dozens of cases have been found in the country since.

'Homeward straight'

This was the first instance of it being found in someone who tested positive on the Isle of Man.

There is no evidence that it causes more serious illness in those who catch it.

Swabs taken in tests on the Isle of Man are sent to a laboratory in Liverpool for genomic analysis to identify the strain of the virus.

Dr Ewart said five cases of the more transmissible Kent variant had also been detected in people self-isolating after travelling to the island.

She said everything was "looking very good" and the island was on the "homeward straight now" due to the vaccine roll-out.

A total of 434 people have tested positive for coronavirus on the Isle of Man, eight of which are currently active.

Twenty-five people have died.