UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Monday that the World Health Organization has been informed that at least 60 local authorities had recorded infections caused by a "new variant" of the COVID-19 virus.
According to the BBC, Hancock said there is "nothing to suggest" that the virus would be immune to newly developed vaccines.
"We've currently identified over 1,000 cases with this variant predominantly in the South of England although cases have been identified in nearly 60 different local authority areas.
"We do not know the extent to which this is because of the new variant but no matter its cause we have to take swift and decisive action which unfortunately is absolutely essential to control this deadly disease while the vaccine is rolled out," Hancock's statement said.