Two COVID-19 variants reported in Denmark and the United Kingdom have been detected in Sri Lanka.
Director of Allergy, Immunology and Cell Biology Unit at the University of Sri Jayewardenapura Dr Chandima Jeewandara said three individuals were detected in Colombo with the variant from Denmark.
He said the variant from Denmark belongs to the COVID-19 B.1.428 lineage.
The three individuals were detected from within the Community in Sri Lanka and their samples had been collected by the intelligence, Dr. Jeewandara said.
He said the lineage B.1.411 variant which is most commonly found in Sri Lanka had been detected in 36 out of 55 samples.
Dr. Jeewandara said the samples were obtained from strains found in Sapugaskanda, an elderly home in Battaramulla, Mannar, Jaffna, Colombo and Kegalle.
Meanwhile, the South African variant B.1.351 was detected on two returnees from Qatar.
Seven individuals were detected with the UK variant, B.1.1.7 lineage, out of whom six were reported from quarantine centres.
Dr. Jeewandara said the remaining infected person has been identified as a fisherman who was arrested in the seas for smuggling illegal goods. (NewsWire)