coronavirus, scientists have found.The news was announced by researchers from the government's New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) on Friday, January 22, following a study into the new strain.The variant, known as B.1.1.7, was first identified in Kent just before Christmas, and has a high number of mutations.The new variant of SARS-CoV-2 has been estimated by various modelling exercises to be up to 70% more transmissible than the previously circulating form of the virus.It has been blamed for the surge of cases being experienced across the UK since its discovery in November last year.The newly-published research on the lethality of the new strain was done by Nick Davies of the London School of Hygiene &.