New coronavirus strain first seen in Britain confirmed in Mexico

A 56-year-old man who flew on December 29 from Mexico City to the city of Matamoros, just south of the US-Mexico border, tested positive for the new strain.

The new strain of the coronavirus first detected in Britain has been confirmed in Mexico for the first time, health officials in northern Tamaulipas state said in a statement on Sunday, adding a new layer of concern to an already severe national outbreak.

Paramedics of the Mexican Red Cross Humberto Xoyotla (R) and Jesus Carmona (C) sanitise an ambulance and its equipment after having transferred a Covid-19 patient to an emergency room in Toluca, Mexico. (AFP)

A 56-year-old man who flew on December 29 from Mexico City to the city of Matamoros, just south of the US-Mexico border, tested positive for the new strain, according to Tamaulipas Health Minister Gloria Molina.

The man was described as an "international traveler," and his name and nationality were not disclosed.

The fast-spreading new strain of the virus has also been found in South Africa and Australia, prompting authorities to take more aggressive action to prevent even greater contagion as countries across the globe struggle to contain the pandemic.