A UK expert said the new variant of the coronavirus is likely to be in most European countries or across the region.

Neil Ferguson, director of the MRC Center for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London, said that as long as experts have noticed ten cases of the new variant in a country like Denmark with a relatively low infection rate, it means that the virus has been introduced in most countries, not to mention in all states.

So far, only a few cases of the new variant, which was first reported in the UK in September, have been registered internationally. Cases have been found in Iceland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy and Belgium, according to the World Health Organization. Outside Europe, there have been four confirmed cases of the new variant in Australia.

Many countries have canceled flights to the UK. The European Commission has called on EU member states to lift all travel bans in the UK.

Scientists say they believe this new variant - with 23 modifications - is more contagious than other variants of the coronavirus. There is currently no evidence that approved vaccines will not be effective for the new variant.

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Source: Euronews