Singapore confirmed its first case infected with a new variant of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 termed VUI 202012/01 on 23 December, said the country’s Ministry of Health in a press release.

At Changi airport (Photo: Straitimes)

The case is a 17-year-old Singaporean girl who had been studying in the UK since August. She returned to Singapore on December 6 and was confirmed to contract COVID-19 two days later.

She was among 31 cases coming from Europe recently. They arrived in Singapore between November 17 and 17 December.

Singapore’s MoH added that there is currently no evidence that the strain, also known as B117, is circulating in the community.

The authorities were able to ringfence the new case so that there was no further transmission from the patient.

Soure: VNA