UK COVID-19 strain detected in 60 countries – WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Wednesday the mutant United Kingdom COVID-19 strain has been discovered in 60 countries across the world.

In a statement issued in Geneva, Switzerland, WHO added that the South African COVID-19 variant, which like the UK strain is believed to be more infectious and has been reported in 23 countries and territories.

The body added that the number of new COVID-19 deaths climbed to a record high 93,000 over the previous seven days, with 4.7 million new cases reported over the same period.

READ ALSO: China records first COVID-19 death in months, as WHO experts arrive to investigate origin of virus

This came days after health authorities in China recorded the first COVID-19 death since May last year as the country continues to battle a resurgence of the virus which was first recorded in the city of Wuhan.

The Chinese National Health Commission said in a statement that it has no details about the latest death, except that it occurred in Hebei, a province surrounding the capital of Beijing.

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