A NEW variant of the coronavirus has surfaced in Britain, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Monday, noting that initial analysis indicates it “is growing faster than the existing variants.”

There have been over 1,000 cases associated with the variant in England, mainly in the southern part of the region where there has been a spike in infections in recent days.

“We have identified a new variant of coronavirus, which may be associated with the faster spread in the southeast of England,” Hancock said in a statement. “Initial analysis suggests that this variant is growing faster than the existing variants.”

There is no sign, however, that the variant behaves differently from existing types of the coronavirus.

“I must stress at this point that there is currently nothing to suggest that the variant is more likely to cause serious disease, and the latest clinical advice is that it’s highly unlikely that this mutation would fail to respond to a vaccine,” Hancock added. “But it shows we’ve got to be vigilant and follow the rules and everyone needs to take personal responsibility not to spread this virus.”

The World Health Organization acknowledged the emergence of the new variant, with WHO’s top emergencies expert Mike Ryan saying, “Authorities are looking at its significance. We have seen many variants, this virus evolves and changes over time.”

Experts agreed that the discovery of the new variant isn’t shocking. “The new mutation is in the protein (Spike) of the SARS-CoV2 virus that many of the vaccines were designed to target,” Dr. Lee W. Riley, professor and chair of the Division of Infectious Disease and Vaccinology at University of California, Berkeley’s School of Public Health, said. (SD-Agencies)