“During systematic sequencing at Vivantes today, January 29, two cases of the 'South African' variant of the B.1.351 virus were detected,” the report said.

One case was recorded at the Humboldt clinic, the other at the Spandau clinic (with a patient who came from South Africa).

Both persons are placed in isolation.

Earlier in the US state of South Carolina, the first cases of the South African variant of the coronavirus were detected.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the British variant of the coronavirus VOC-202012/01 was found in 70 countries, and the South African strain in 31 countries.