Czech Republic detects UK coronavirus variant, to maintain lockdown measures

"(Our response) is to maintain the measures, vaccination, and try to inoculate as soon as possible, especially that part of population which is the most vulnerable," Blatny said. The minister said the government would keep lockdown measures, including the closure of nearly all schools and most shops, in place despite signs that the number of new cases was easing, with the aim of sharply reducing the load on hospitals.

The Czech Republic has confirmed the detection of the new, more transmissible variant of coronavirus first found in Britain, the country's National Institute of Public Health said on Monday.

A spokeswoman said the mutation had been proven in part of samples that had been sequenced, while sequencing continued on others. She said more information would be released on Tuesday. The country of 10.7 million has been one of the worst-hit globally with 14,449 deaths so far and over 150 daily deaths most days this month.

The variant identified in Britain is believed by scientists to be more contagious, putting more pressure health systems, although it is not thought to cause more severe disease. Health Minister Jan Blatny told a news conference about 10% of recent cases were suspected to be of the new variant, which posed a risk for future load on the health system.

"Its faster spread means that it will prevail over the slower one sooner or later, so we have couple of months to react forcefully," Blatny told reporters. "(Our response) is to maintain the measures, vaccination, and try to inoculate as soon as possible, especially that part of population which is the most vulnerable," Blatny said.

The minister said the government would keep lockdown measures, including the closure of nearly all schools and most shops, in place despite signs that the number of new cases was easing, with the aim of sharply reducing the load on hospitals. A number of hospitals in several regions have said in the past weeks they were stretched to the limit, mainly due to shortages of ICU beds and staff due to infections and quarantines.

Blatny said in the longer term, the health system could handle about 2,000 COVID-19 patients while also performing other care normally, a number last seen in early October. There were 6,330 patients in hospital as of Sunday, according to health ministry data, off this month's peak of 7,460.