One of the UK's first confirmed cases of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron has been identified as a student at the University of Nottingham. The government announced on Saturday two people had tested positive for the new strain in Nottingham and Essex.

The University of Nottingham said the variant, first found in South Africa, had been identified following further testing of a positive Covid sample. It said the student was currently self-isolating off-campus. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the Nottingham and Essex cases were both connected to travel to southern Africa.

A university spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "Whilst we do not ordinarily comment on individual cases, we can confirm that a student is among the increasing number of people reporting cases of the Omicron variant nationwide. "The student has been off campus and self-isolating throughout the period of infection. We are supporting them in liaison with the public health authorities and wish them a speedy recovery."