A new subvariant of Covid, which experts say is highly infectious, has been detected in the UK for the first time.

The NB.1.8.1 variant has been found in 22 countries since it emerged in January with cases now confirmed in Northern Ireland and Wales.

The Northern Ireland Public Health Agency says at least seven people have been diagnosed with the NB.1.8.1 strain and cases have also been reported in Wales.

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The Mail Online reports: Subhash Verma, professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, told CBS News: ‘Data indicates that NB.1.8.1 does not lead to more severe illness compared to previous variants, although it appears to have a growth advantage, suggesting it may spread more easily.

‘In other words, it is more transmissible.’

The World Health Organisation (WHO) claimed that, using the evidence available, NB.1.8.1’s threat to the public health was ‘low at the global level’.

The body added: ‘Currently approved Covid-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective to this variant against symptomatic and severe disease.’

But it still issued an official warning about the strain, part of the Omicron variant, branding it a ‘variant under monitoring’ thanks to key mutatations and its global spread.

It said: ‘Despite a concurrent increase in cases and hospitalisations in some countries where NB.1.8.1 is widespread, current data do not indicate that this variant leads to more severe illness than other variants in circulation.’ 

There are not currently any travel restrictions associated with the variant and the WHO does not recommend any such measures. 

Of the 22 countries where it had been recorded by late April, the variant constitutes around 10.7 per cent of all submitted strains, flying up from just 2.5 per cent four weeks before.