A new variant of coronavirus has been found which is growing faster in some parts of England, MPs have been told, writes BBC.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said at least 60 different local authorities had recorded COVID-infections caused by the new variant.

He said the World Health Organization had been notified and UK scientists were doing detailed studies: “There was nothing to suggest it caused worse disease or that vaccines would no longer work”.

Prof Alan McNally, an expert at the University of Birmingham, said UK testing labs had picked up on this new variant in the last few weeks.