A new variant of COVID-19 first identified in South Africa has reportedly been found in Britain.

According to BBC and Reuters on Wednesday, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in a media briefing that thanks to the impressive genomic capability of the South Africans, Britain has detected two cases of another new variant of coronavirus. 

Hancock said that both are contacts of cases who have traveled from South Africa over the past few weeks.

In South Africa, the variant, known as 501-point-V2, has been blamed for a recent surge in infections. 

The British health secretary said this new variant is highly concerning, because it is "yet more transmissible," and it appears to have mutated further than the variant already wreaking havoc in the U.K.