UK looking at ways to protect itself against Brazilian COVID-19 variant, says PM Johnson

FILE PHOTO: Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a news conference in response to the ongoing situation with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street, London, Britain, January 5, 2021. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/Pool

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday the government was looking at ways to stop a variant of the novel coronavirus found in Brazil from entering Britain.

Japan's health ministry said on Sunday it had detected a new strain of COVID-19 in four travellers from Brazil's Amazonas state which featured 12 mutations, including one also found in highly infections variants discovered in Britain and South Africa.