England s chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, said the UK has alerted the World Health Organisation that the new variant identified this week appears to be accelerating the spread of COVID-19.
The government s scientific advisers came to that conclusion based on preliminary modelling figures, and they are continuing to analyse the available data, he said.
Viruses mutate regularly, and scientists have found thousands of different mutations among samples of the virus causing COVID-19.
But many of these changes have no effect on how easily the virus spreads or how severe symptoms are.
UK strain needs to be put in context
Australia s Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said there have been thousands of mutations of the coronavirus, and the new mutation needs to be put in context .
We have had further cases overnight, Ms Berejiklian told Today. I do want to ask everybody to brace themselves. We are going to definitely have more cases today.
Long lines have begun forming at COVID-19 testing clinics in Avalon, in Sydney s Northern Beaches, as a cluster grows.(Nine News)
She will announce just how many new cases have been recorded since last night, during an update with Chief Medical Officer Dr Kerry Chant at 11am.
More than 250,000 residents in the Northern Beaches are being told to stay at home for the next three days, throwing Christmas and travel plans into chaos and prompting new restrictions at borders across the country.