Comments As we come to terms with news of the COVID-19 variant discovered in the United Kingdom, another potentially more infectious variant identified in South Africa has now spread waves of concern across the world. British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Wednesday that two cases of the new variant have been identified in the country - both contacts of people who travelled to South Africa. Here’s what we know. Also Read What's Happening? South Africa saw its first COVID peak in July and August, after which cases started to fall considerably. However, things changed drastically as the number of people infected began to rise steeply at the beginning of December.