More cases of new coronavirus strain found in Europe

Cases of the more contagious strain of COVID-19 identified in the UK have been confirmed in several other European countries as a vaccine is due to be rolled out across the continent.

The infections, linked to people who had come from the UK, were reported in Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Hungary has become the first in the EU to vaccinate people against the virus.

BBC News reports France, Germany and Spain are among the nations where vaccinations are expected to start today.

Scientists say the new strain of COVID-19 could already be circulating - or have originated from - outside the UK but it was spotted there first because of the strength of the UK's surveillance system.

Experts say the new strain of COVID-19 is more transmissible than previous strains but not necessarily any more dangerous for those infected.

[Source: BBC]