Experts have been able to trace the origins of the new mutant coronavirus strain that originated in England's south east. The first sample was discovered in a person who lived near Canterbury, Kent, in September, according to scientists.
The new variant has ripped through the UK ever since - prompting Boris Johnson to cancel Christmas rule relaxation plans and plunge England into a third national lockdown.
Countries shut their borders to the UK after the discovery of the new strain prompted fears it would spread further abroad. The strain has since spread overseas, and is believed to be significantly more virulent than the original variant.