View source for SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant

{{short description|Variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19}}
{{redirect|B117|other uses|B117 (disambiguation)}}
{{main|Variants of SARS-CoV-2}}
{{use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{use British English|date=January 2021}}

{{Infobox SARS-CoV-2 Variant
| variant = Alpha
| status = [[Variant of concern]]
| dateReported = {{start date and age|2020|11}}
| reportedLocation = [[Kent]], [[England]]
| lineage = B1.1.1.7
| symptoms = {{plainlist|
* None
* Chills
* Loss of appetite
* Headaches
* Muscle aches
}}
|map = [[File:B.1.1.7 Cases by country as of 25 Mar 2021.svg|thumb|upright=1.5|Total number of B.1.1.7 sequences by country as of 25 March 2021<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=B.1.1.7 report|url=https://cov-lineages.org/global_report_B.1.1.7.html|access-date=2021-01-29|website=cov-lineages.org}}</ref>
<br />
'''Legend:'''
{{legend|#290000|10,000+ confirmed sequences}}
{{legend|#510000|5,000–9,999 confirmed sequences}}
{{legend|#900000|1,000–4,999 confirmed sequences}}
{{legend|#c80200|500–999 confirmed sequences}}
{{legend|#ee7070|100–499 confirmed sequences}}
{{legend|#ffc0c0|2–99 confirmed sequences}}
{{legend|#ffdfe0|1 confirmed sequence}}
{{legend|#e0e0e0|None or no data available}}
]]
}}

{{COVID-19 pandemic sidebar|expanded=}}
The '''Alpha variant''' (B.1.1.7) was<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants |url=https://www.who.int/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants |access-date=2022-08-17 |website=www.who.int |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Variants of concern |url=https://www.cdgn.org.au/variants-of-concern |access-date=2022-08-17 |website=CDGN |language=en-US}}</ref> a [[Variants of SARS-CoV-2|SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern]]. It was estimated to be 40–80% more [[Transmission (medicine)|transmissible]] than the [[Wild type|wild-type]] SARS-CoV-2 (with most estimates occupying the middle to higher end of this range). Scientists more widely took note of this variant in early December 2020, when a phylogenetic tree showing viral sequences from [[Kent]], [[United Kingdom]] looked unusual.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kupferschmidt |first1=Kai |title=Mutant coronavirus in the United Kingdom sets off alarms, but its importance remains unclear |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/mutant-coronavirus-united-kingdom-sets-alarms-its-importance-remains-unclear |website=www.science.org |publisher=Science |access-date=24 February 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

The variant began to spread quickly by mid-December, around the same time as infections surged. This increase is thought to be at least partly because of one or more mutations in the virus' [[coronavirus spike protein|spike protein]]. The variant was also notable for having more mutations than normally seen.<ref name=peacock/> By January 2021, more than half of all genomic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 was carried out in the UK.<ref>{{Cite news|date=26 January 2021|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/01/26/uk-help-sequence-mutations-covid-around-world-find-dangerous/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/01/26/uk-help-sequence-mutations-covid-around-world-find-dangerous/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=UK to help sequence mutations of Covid around world to find dangerous new variants |first=Laura |last=Donnelly |website=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |access-date=28 January 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> This gave rise to questions as to how many other important variants were circulating around the world undetected.<ref>Rachel Schraer (22 December 2020). [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55413666 "Covid: New variant found 'due to hard work of UK scientists"]. BBC. Retrieved 30 January 2021.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-the-u-k-became-world-leader-in-sequencing-the-coronavirusgenome-11612011601|title=How the U.K. Became World Leader in Sequencing the Coronavirus Genome|first=Joanna |last=Sugden|date=30 January 2021|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

On 2 February 2021, [[Public Health England]] reported that they had detected "[a] limited number of B.1.1.7 VOC-202012/01 genomes with [[Variants of SARS-CoV-2#E484K|E484K]] mutations",<ref name="E484K">{{cite report |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/957504/Variant_of_Concern_VOC_202012_01_Technical_Briefing_5_England.pdf |title=Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 variant Variant of Concern 202012/01: Technical briefing 5 |publisher=Public Health England |date=2 February 2021 |access-date=2 February 2021}}</ref> which they dubbed Variant of Concern 202102/02 (VOC-202102/02).<ref name="PHE2102" /> One of the mutations ([[Variants of SARS-CoV-2#N501Y|N501Y]]) was also present in [[SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant|Beta variant]] and [[SARS-CoV-2 Gamma variant|Gamma variant]]. On 31 May 2021, the [[World Health Organization]] announced that the Variant of Concern would be labelled "Alpha" for use in public communications.<ref>{{Cite web|date=Jun 1, 2021|title=Explained: Why WHO named Covid-19 variants first found in India as 'Kappa' and 'Delta' {{!}} India News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/explained-why-who-named-covid-19-variants-found-in-india-as-kappa-and-delta/articleshow/83137667.cms|access-date=2021-06-02|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=WHO announces simple, easy-to-say labels for SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Interest and Concern|url=https://www.who.int/news/item/31-05-2021-who-announces-simple-easy-to-say-labels-for-sars-cov-2-variants-of-interest-and-concern|access-date=2021-06-06|website=www.who.int|language=en}}</ref>

The Alpha variant disappeared in late 2021 as a result of competition from even more infectious variants. In March 2022, the World Health Organization changed its designation to "previously circulating variant of concern".

==Classification==
===Names===
The variant is known by several names. Outside the UK it is sometimes referred to as the ''UK variant'' or ''British variant'' or ''English variant'',<ref>For an extensive list of news sources using these terms, see [[Talk:U.K. Covid-19 variant|UK Covid-19 variant]], [[Talk:U.K. Coronavirus variant|UK coronavirus variant]] and [[Talk:U.K. variant|UK variant]]</ref> despite the existence of other, less common, variants first identified in UK, such as Eta variant (lineage B.1.525). Within the UK, it is commonly referred to as the ''Kent variant'' after [[Kent]], where the variant was found.<ref name=newmut/><ref>{{Cite news |title=Mutated Kent Covid variant must be taken seriously, warns UK scientist  |last=Boseley |first=Sarah |website=The Guardian |date=10 February 2021 |access-date=10 February 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/feb/10/mutated-kent-covid-variant-must-be-taken-seriously-warns-uk-scientist}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

In scientific use, the variant had originally been named ''the first Variant Under Investigation in December 2020'' (VUI – 202012/01) by Public Health England (PHE),<ref>{{Cite web
|title=PHE investigating a novel strain of COVID-19
|publisher=Public Health England
|date=14 December 2020
|url= https://www.gov.uk/government/news/phe-investigating-a-novel-strain-of-covid-19
}} {{OGL-attribution|version=3.0}}</ref>{{efn|name="withoutdash"}} but was reclassified to a [[Variant of concern|Variant of Concern]] (''Variant of Concern 202012/01'', abbreviated ''VOC-202012/01'') by [[Meera Chand]] and her colleagues in a report published by PHE on 21 December 2020.{{efn|The difference between the two is explained by PHE: {{blockquote|SARS-CoV-2 variants, if considered to have concerning epidemiological, immunological, or pathogenic properties, are raised for formal investigation. At this point they are designated Variant Under Investigation (VUI) with a year, month, and number. Following a risk assessment with the relevant expert committee, they may be designated Variant of Concern (VOC).<ref>{{cite web | title=Variants: distribution of cases data | website=GOV.UK | date=28 January 2021 | url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-variants-genomically-confirmed-case-numbers/variants-distribution-of-cases-data#variant1 |at=At "Differences between a Variant of Concern and Variant Under Investigation" |access-date=19 February 2021}} {{OGL-attribution|version=3.0}}</ref>}}
}} In a report written on behalf of [[COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) Consortium]], [[Andrew Rambaut]] and his co-authors, using the [[Phylogenetic Assignment of Named Global Outbreak Lineages]] (pangolin) tool, dubbed it ''lineage B.1.1.7'',<ref name="Rambaut et al."/> while [[Nextstrain]] dubbed the variant ''20I/501Y.V1''.<ref>{{cite journal |title='A bloody mess': Confusion reigns over naming of new COVID variants |date=15 January 2021 |first=Ewen |last=Callaway |journal=[[Nature (journal)|Nature News & Comment]] |volume=589 |issue=7842 |page=339 |doi-access=free |doi=10.1038/d41586-021-00097-w |pmid=33452513 |bibcode=2021Natur.589..339C |quote=[...] [[Emma Hodcroft]], a molecular epidemiologist at the University of Bern, Switzerland, who is part of Nextstrain, the SARS-CoV-2 naming effort that called the 'UK variant' 20I/501Y.V1.}}</ref>

The name ''VOC-202102/02'' refers to the variant with the E484K mutation (see [[#E484K mutation|below]]).<ref name="PHE2102"/>

===Genetic profile===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="120px">
File:SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant.svg|Amino acid mutations of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant plotted on a genome map of SARS-CoV-2 with a focus on Spike.<ref>[https://covdb.stanford.edu/page/mutation-viewer/#sec_alpha Spike Variants: Alpha variant, aka B.1.1.7, 501Y.V1, 20I/501Y.V1, and UK COVID variant] 24 June 2021, ''covdb.stanford.edu'', accessed 1 July 2021</ref>
</gallery>
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible autocollapse" align="right" style="text-align: center;"
 |+ {{nowrap|Defining mutations in VOC-202012/01{{Break}}{{center|(change of amino acid only)}} }}
 ! [[Gene]]
 ! [[Nucleotide]]
 ! [[Amino acid]]
 |-
 !rowspan="4"|  [[ORF1ab]]
 | C3267T || T1001I
 |-
 | C5388A || A1708D
 |-
 | T6954C || I2230T
 |-
 | 11288–11296 deletion || SGF 3675–3677 deletion
 |-
 !rowspan="8"|  [[coronavirus spike protein|Spike]]
 | 21765–21770 deletion || HV 69–70 deletion
 |-
 | 21991–21993 deletion || Y144 deletion
 |-
 | A23063T || N501Y
 |-
 | C23271A || A570D
 |-
 | C23604A || P681H
 |-
 | C23709T || T716I
 |-
 | T24506G || S982A
 |-
 | G24914C || D1118H
 |-
 !rowspan="3"|  [[ORF8]]
 | C27972T || Q27stop
 |-
 | G28048T || R52I
 |-
 | A28111G || Y73C
 |-
 !rowspan="2"|  [[coronavirus nucleocapsid protein|N]]
 | 28280 GAT→CTA || D3L
 |-
 | C28977T || S235F
 |- style="text-align:left;" class="sortbottom"
 | colspan="3" | Source: {{harvp|Chand et al.|loc=table{{nbsp}}1 (p.{{nbsp}}5)}}
|}
[[Mutation]]s in [[SARS-CoV-2]] are common: over 4,000 mutations have been detected in its spike protein alone, according to the [[COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) Consortium]].<ref name="BMJ">{{cite journal |last1=Wise |first1=Jacqui |title=Covid-19: New coronavirus variant is identified in UK |journal=BMJ |date=16 December 2020 |volume=371 |pages=m4857 |doi=10.1136/bmj.m4857 |pmid=33328153 |s2cid=229291003 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

VOC-202012/01 is defined by 23 mutations: 14 non-synonymous mutations, 3 deletions, and 6 [[Synonymous substitution|synonymous mutations]]{{sfnp|Chand et al.|p=5}} (i.e., there are 17 mutations that change proteins and six that do not<ref name=peacock>{{Cite news |title=Here's what we know about the new variant of coronavirus |last=Peacock |first= Sharon|author-link=Sharon Peacock |newspaper= [[The Guardian]] |date=22 December 2020 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/22/new-variant-coronavirus-genomic-sars-cov-2-pandemic}}</ref>).

==Symptoms and signs==
[[Imperial College London]] investigated over a million people in England while the Alpha variant was dominant and discovered a wide range of further symptoms linked to Covid.  "Chills, loss of appetite, headache and muscle aches" were most common in infected people, as well as classic symptoms.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/health-57467051|title=Headache and runny nose linked to Delta variant|work=BBC News|date=14 June 2021}}</ref>

==Diagnosis==
Several [[rapid antigen test]]s for SARS-CoV-2 are in widespread use globally for COVID-19 diagnostics. They are believed to be useful in stopping the chain of transmission of the virus by providing the means to rapidly identify large numbers of cases as part of a mass-testing program. Following the emergence of VOC-202012/01, there was initially concern that rapid tests might not detect it, but Public Health England determined that rapid tests evaluated and used in the United Kingdom detected the variant.<ref>{{Cite web|title= Rapid evaluation confirms lateral flow devices effective in detecting new COVID-19 variant|url= https://www.gov.uk/government/news/rapid-evaluation-confirms-lateral-flow-devices-effective-in-detecting-new-covid-19-variant|access-date=27 December 2020|website=Gov.UK}} {{OGL-attribution|version=3.0}}</ref>

==Prevention==
{{See also|Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine#Effectiveness|Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine#Effectiveness|Moderna COVID-19 vaccine#Effectiveness|Novavax COVID-19 vaccine#Efficacy|Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine#Variants|CoronaVac#Variants|Covaxin#Variants|Abdala (vaccine)#Efficacy}}

By late 2020, several [[COVID-19 vaccine]]s were being deployed or under development.

However, as further mutations occurred, concerns were raised as to whether vaccine development would need to be altered. SARS-CoV-2 does not mutate as quickly as, for example, [[influenza virus]]es, and the new vaccines that had proved effective by the end of 2020 are types that can be adjusted if necessary.<ref name= "news.sky.com">{{Cite news |title=COVID-19: London and South East set for Tier 4 rules – as new COVID variant 'real cause for concern' |last=Patel-Carstairs |first=Sunita |work=Sky News |date=19 December 2020 |url= https://news.sky.com/story/ovid-19-london-and-south-east-set-for-tier-4-rules-as-new-covid-variant-real-cause-for-concern-12166858}}</ref> As of the end of 2020, German, British, and American health authorities and experts believe that existing vaccines will be as effective against VOC-202012/01 as against previous variants.<ref>{{Cite web|date= 2020-12-20|title=Covid vaccines 'still effective' against fast-spreading variant|url= https://metro.co.uk/2020/12/20/covid-vaccines-still-effective-against-fast-spreading-mutant-strain-13782209/|website=Metro}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|agency=AFP|date=2020-12-21|title=Vaccines effective against new virus strain – German health minister|url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1374176/vaccines-effective-against-new-virus-strain-german-health-minister|website=Inquirer}}</ref>

On 18 December, NERVTAG determined "that there are currently insufficient data to draw any conclusion on... [[Antigenic escape|[a]ntigenic escape]]".<ref name="nervtag" />

{{As of|2020|12|20}}, Public Health England confirmed there is "no evidence" to suggest that the new variant would be [[Drug resistance|resistant]] to the [[Tozinameran|Pfizer–BioNTech]] vaccine currently being used in the [[COVID-19 vaccination programme in the United Kingdom|UK's vaccination programme]], and that people should still be protected.<ref name= "wwwgovuk20201220">{{cite web |title= COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2): information about the new virus variant |url= https://www.gov.uk/government/news/covid-19-sars-cov-2-information-about-the-new-virus-variant |website=Gov.uk |publisher=Public Health England |access-date=21 December 2020 |date=20 December 2020}} {{OGL-attribution|version=3.0}}</ref>

===E484K mutation===
On  2 February 2021, Public Health England reported that they had detected "[a] limited number of B.1.1.7 VOC-202012/01 genomes with [[Variants of SARS-CoV-2#E484K|E484K]] mutations",<ref name="E484K"/> which is also present in the [[SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant|Beta]] and [[SARS-CoV-2 Gamma variant|Gamma]] variants;<ref name="newmut"/> a mutation which may reduce vaccine effectiveness.<ref name="newmut"/> On 9 February 2021, it became known that some 76 cases with the E484K mutation had been detected, principally in Bristol, but with a genomically distinct group in Liverpool also carrying the mutation.<ref>{{cite web | title= Mutant Covid strain found in Bristol designated 'variant of concern' |first=Faye |last=Brown |date=9 February 2021 |url= https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/09/new-covid-strain-found-in-bristol-is-a-variant-of-concern-14052139/ |website=Metro UK |access-date=10 February 2021}}</ref> A week later a Research and analysis report from PHE gave a total of 77 confirmed and probable cases involving the E484K mutation across the UK, in two variants, VUI-202102/01 and VOC-202102/02, the latter described as 'B.1.1.7 with E484K'.<ref name="PHE2102">{{Cite web|last=Public Health England|date=16 February 2021|title=Variants: distribution of cases data|url= https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-variants-genomically-confirmed-case-numbers/variants-distribution-of-cases-data |access-date=2021-02-17|website= Gov.UK}}</ref>

On 5 March 2021, it was reported that a B.1.1.7 lineage with the E484K mutation has been detected in two US patients (in Oregon and New York states). Researchers thought that the E484K mutation in the Oregon variant arose independently.<ref>{{Cite news|last= Mandavilli |first=Apoorva|date=2021-03-05|title= In Oregon, Scientists Find a Virus Variant With a Worrying Mutation|language= en-US|work=The New York Times|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/05/health/virus-oregon-variant.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/05/health/virus-oregon-variant.html |archive-date=2021-12-28 |url-access=limited|access-date= 2021-03-06|issn=0362-4331}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=B.1.1.7 Lineage with S:E484K Report |url= https://outbreak.info/situation-reports?country=United%20Kingdom&country=United%20States&division=California&pango=B.1.1.7&muts=S%3AE484K&selected=United%20States&selectedType=country|access-date=2021-03-06 |website=Outbreak}}</ref>

==Characteristics==
===Transmissibility===
The transmissibility of the Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7) had generally been found to be substantially higher than that of pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 variants. The variant was discovered by a team of scientists at [[COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium|COG-UK]] whose initial results found transmissibility was 70% (50-100%) higher.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-04-03 |title='Has everyone in Kent gone to an illegal rave?': on the variant trail with the Covid detectives |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/03/has-everyone-in-kent-gone-to-illegal-rave-on-variant-trail-with-covid-detectives |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Volz E, Mishra S, et al. |date=May 2021 |title=Assessing transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 in England |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=593 |issue=7858 |pages=266–269 |bibcode=2021Natur.593..266V |doi=10.1038/s41586-021-03470-x |issn=1476-4687 |pmid=33767447 |doi-access=free |s2cid=232365193|hdl=10044/1/87474 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> A study by the Centre for the Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases at the [[London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine]] reported that the variant was 43 to 90% (range of 95% credible intervals, 38 to 130%) more transmissible than pre-existing variants in the [[United Kingdom]], depending on the method used to assess increases in transmissibility. Similar increases in the transmissibility of lineage B.1.1.7 were measured in [[Denmark]], [[Switzerland]], and the [[United States]].<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Davies NG, Abbott S, et al. |title=Estimated transmissibility and impact of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 in England |journal=Science |date=9 April 2021 |volume=372 |issue=6538 |pages=eabg3055 |doi=10.1126/science.abg3055 |pmid=33658326 |pmc=8128288 }}</ref> Furthermore, a simple model to account for the rapid rise of lineage B.1.1.7 in several countries and the world found that the variant is 50% more transmissible than the local wild type in these three countries and across the world as whole.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fort |first1=Hugo |title=A very simple model to account for the rapid rise of the alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2 in several countries and the world. |journal=Virus Research |date=August 2021 |volume=304 |page=198531 |doi=10.1016/j.virusres.2021.198531 |pmid=34363849 |pmc=8339456 }}</ref>  Another study concluded that it was 75% (70%–80%) more transmissible in the UK between October and November 2020.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Leung |first1=Kathy |last2=Shum |first2=Marcus HH |last3=Leung |first3=Gabriel M |last4=Lam |first4=Tommy TY |last5=Wu |first5=Joseph T |title=Early transmissibility assessment of the N501Y mutant strains of SARS-CoV-2 in the United Kingdom, October to November 2020 |journal=Eurosurveillance |date=7 January 2021 |volume=26 |issue=1 |doi=10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.26.1.2002106 |pmid=33413740 |pmc=7791602 }}</ref> A later study suggested that these earlier estimates overestimated the transmissibility of the variant and that the transmissibility increase was on the lower ends of these ranges.<ref>{{Cite journal|vauthors=Kraemer MU, Hill V, et al. |date=2021-07-22|title=Spatiotemporal invasion dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 emergence|journal=Science|volume=373|issue=6557|pages=889–895|language=en|doi=10.1126/science.abj0113|issn=0036-8075|pmid=34301854|pmc=9269003 |bibcode=2021Sci...373..889K|s2cid=236209853|hdl=10044/1/90624|hdl-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Pinkstone|first=Joe|date=2021-07-23|title=Scientists overestimated alpha variant's transmissibility|language=en-GB|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/07/23/scientists-overestimated-alpha-variants-transmissibility-study/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/07/23/scientists-overestimated-alpha-variants-transmissibility-study/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-10|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The Dutch [[Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport]] calculated, based on genome sequencing of positive cases, each week the transmissibility rate of the variant compared to the local wildtype, and found it to fluctuate between 28%-47% higher during the first six weeks of 2021.<ref name= "RIVM">{{cite web|url= https://www.tweedekamer.nl/sites/default/files/atoms/files/presentatie_jaap_van_dissel_t.b.v._technische_briefing_24_februari_2021.pdf |title=COVID-19 2e Kamer-briefing, 24 febr 2021 |trans-title=Technical 2nd chamber briefing on coronavirus developments, 24 February 2021|language=nl| first =Jaap | last = van Dissel |date=24 February 2021|access-date=28 February 2021}}</ref> The Danish [[Statens Serum Institut]] in comparison calculated it to be 55% (48%–62%) more transmissible in Denmark based upon the observed development of its relative frequency from 4 January to 12 February 2021.<ref name="SSImodel2">{{cite report|url=https://covid19.ssi.dk/-/media/cdn/files/ekspertrapport-af-d-21-februar-2021--prognoser-for-smittetal-og-indlggelser-ved-genbningsscenarier-d.pdf?la=da|title=Ekspertrapport af den 21.februar 2021: Prognoser for smittetal og indlæggelser ved genåbningsscenarier d. 1. marts|language=da|trans-title= Expert report of 21 February 2021: Forecasts for infection rates and hospital admissions for reopening scenarios 1 March|publisher=[[Statens Serum Institut]]|access-date=22 February 2021 |date= 22 February 2021}}</ref>  The [[Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute|Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM)]] under [[University of Bern]], calculated the transmissibility of lineage B.1.1.7 based on the weekly development of its observed fraction of all Covid-19 positives during the entire pandemic, and found for 95% confidence intervals under the assumption of a wildtype reproduction number Rw≈1 and an exponentially generation time of 5.2 days, that transmissibility was: 52% (45%–60%) higher when compared to the wildtype in Denmark and 51% (42%-60%) higher when compared to the wildtype in Switzerland.<ref name="UB">{{Cite web|publisher=Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern|date=5 March 2021|title=Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Switzerland|url=https://ispmbern.github.io/covid-19/variants/ |access-date=5 March 2021}}</ref>

On 18 December 2020—early on in the risk assessment of the variant—the UK scientific advisory body [[New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group]] (NERVTAG) concluded that they had moderate confidence that VOC-202012/01 was substantially more transmissible than other variants, but that there were insufficient data to reach any conclusion on underlying mechanism of increased transmissibility (e.g. increased viral load, tissue distribution of virus replication, serial interval etc.), the age distribution of cases, or disease severity.<ref name=nervtag>{{Cite web|url= https://khub.net/documents/135939561/338928724/SARS-CoV-2+variant+under+investigation%2C+meeting+minutes.pdf/962e866b-161f-2fd5-1030-32b6ab467896?t=1608470511452|title= NERVTAG meeting on SARS-CoV-2 variant under investigation: VUI-202012/01|date= 18 December 2020| publisher = New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group}}</ref> Data seen by NERVTAG indicated that the relative reproduction number ("multiplicative advantage") was determined to be 1.74—i.e., the variant is 74% more transmissible—assuming a 6.5-day generational interval. It was demonstrated that the variant grew fast exponentially with respect to the other variants.<ref name="volz">{{Cite medRxiv |vauthors=Volz E, Mishra S, et al. |title=Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Lineage B.1.1.7 in England: Insights from linking epidemiological and genetic data |date=4 January 2021 |medrxiv=10.1101/2020.12.30.20249034}}</ref><ref name= "KHUB">{{Cite web|title= New evidence on VUI-202012/01 and review of the public health risk assessment|url= https://khub.net/documents/135939561/338928724/New+SARS-COV-2+variant+-+information+and+risk+assessment.pdf/b56d4591-0466-1a18-28dc-010e0fdeef53?t=1608569319930 |access-date= 4 January 2021}}</ref><ref name= "COG-UK Showcase">{{Cite web|title= COG-UK Showcase Event |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=9399&v=G3CT9N89L-c&|access-date= 2020-12-25|website= YouTube}}</ref> The variant out-competed the ancestral variant by a factor of <small><math>1.74^{14/6.5}=3.3</math></small> every two weeks. Another group came to similar conclusions, generating a replicative advantage, independent of "protective measures", of 2.24 per generation of 6.73 days, out-competing the ancestral variant by <small><math>2.24^{14/6.73}=5.4</math></small> every two weeks.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Grabowski |first1=Frederic |last2=Preibisch |first2=Grzegorz |last3=Giziński |first3=Stanisław |last4=Kochańczyk |first4=Marek |last5=Lipniacki |first5=Tomasz |title=SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern 202012/01 Has about Twofold Replicative Advantage and Acquires Concerning Mutations |journal=Viruses |date=1 March 2021 |volume=13 |issue=3 |page=392 |doi=10.3390/v13030392 |pmid=33804556 |pmc=8000749 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Similarly, in Ireland, the variant—as indicated by the missing [[S gene]]{{efn|name="S gene"|SARS-CoV-2's S gene encodes its spike protein.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P0DTC2 |title= UniProtKB - P0DTC2 (SPIKE_SARS2) |publisher= [[UniProt]] |access-date= 4 February 2021}}</ref>}} detection (''[[S-gene target failure]]'' [SGTF]), which historically was rare—went from 16.3% to 46.3% of cases in two weeks. This demonstrates, based on the statistics of 116 positive samples, that the variant had a relative higher growth by a factor of {{nowrap|<small><math>46.3\%\cdot(100\% - 16.3\%)/((100\% - 46.3\%)\cdot16.3\%) = 4.4</math></small>,}} when compared to the average growth for all other variants by the end of this two week period.<ref name="IE"/> The variant became the dominant variant in London, East of England and the South East from low levels in one to two months. A surge of SARS-CoV-2 infections around the start of the new year was the result of the elevated transmissibility of the variant, while the other variants were in decline.<ref>{{Cite web|last= Pylas|first= Pan |date= 2021-01-02|title= U.K. breaks record with 57,725 cases, is urged to keep schools closed|url= https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/u-k-breaks-record-with-57-725-cases-is-urged-to-keep-schools-closed-1.5251363|access-date= 2021-01-03|website= Coronavirus}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mahase |first1=Elisabeth |title=Covid-19: What have we learnt about the new variant in the UK? |journal=BMJ |date=23 December 2020 |volume=371 |pages=m4944 |doi=10.1136/bmj.m4944 |pmid=33361120 |s2cid=229366003 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kirby |first1=Tony |title=New variant of SARS-CoV-2 in UK causes surge of COVID-19 |journal=The Lancet Respiratory Medicine |date=February 2021 |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=e20–e21 |doi=10.1016/S2213-2600(21)00005-9 |pmid=33417829 |pmc=7784534 }}</ref>

One of the most important changes in lineage B.1.1.7 seems to be '''[[Variants of SARS-CoV-2#N501Y|N501Y]]''',<ref name="BMJ" /> a change from [[asparagine]] (N) to [[tyrosine]] (Y) in amino-acid position 501.<ref name="COG-UK">{{cite report |ref= {{SfnRef|COG-UK (20 December 2020)}} |url= https://www.cogconsortium.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Report-1_COG-UK_20-December-2020_SARS-CoV-2-Mutations_final_updated2.pdf |title= COG-UK update on SARS-CoV-2 Spike mutations of special interest: Report 1 |date= 20 December 2020|publisher= COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium (COG-UK) |page= 7 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201222103807/https://www.cogconsortium.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Report-1_COG-UK_19-December-2020_SARS-CoV-2-Mutations.pdf |archive-date= 22 December 2020 }}</ref> This is because of its position inside the spike protein's [[Binding domain|receptor-binding domain]] (RBD)—more specifically inside the [[receptor-binding motif]] (RBM),{{sfnp|COG-UK (20 December 2020)|p= 4}} a part of the RBD<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Yi |first1= C. |last2= Sun |first2= X. |last3= Ye |first3= J. |display-authors= etal |year= 2020 |title= Key residues of the receptor binding motif in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 that interact with ACE2 and neutralizing antibodies |journal= [[Cellular & Molecular Immunology]] |volume= 17 |issue= 6 |pages= 621–630 |doi= 10.1038/s41423-020-0458-z|pmid= 32415260 |pmc= 7227451 |doi-access= free }}</ref>—which binds [[ACE2|human ACE2]].{{sfnp|COG-UK (20 December 2020)|p=1}} Mutations in the RBD can change [[antibody recognition]] and ACE2 [[Chemical specificity|binding specificity]]{{sfnp|COG-UK (20 December 2020)|p= 1}} and lead to the virus becoming more [[infectious]];.<ref name= "BMJ" />  Chand et al. concluded that "[i]t is highly likely that N501Y affects the [[Ligand (biochemistry)#Receptor/ligand binding affinity|receptor-binding affinity]] of the spike protein, and it is possible that this mutation alone or in combination with the deletion at 69/70 in the [[N-terminus|N-terminal domain]] (NTD) is enhancing the transmissibility of the virus".{{sfnp |Chand et al.|p= 6}} In early 2021 a peer-reviewed paper found that the mentioned HV 69–70 deletion ''[[in vitro]]'' "appeared to have two-fold higher [[infectivity]] over a single round of infection compared to {{bracket|[[wild-type]] SARS-CoV-2}}" in [[Lentivirus|lentiviral]] SARS-CoV-2 [[Pseudotyping|pseudoviruses]].<ref>{{cite journal| last1= Kemp | first1 = S.A. | last2 = Collier | first2 = D.A. | last3 = Datir | first3 = R.P. | last4 = Ferreira | first4 = I.A.T.M. | last5 = Gayed | first5 = S. | last6 = Jahun | first6 = A. | display-authors= etal| title= SARS-CoV-2 evolution during treatment of chronic infection | journal= [[Nature (journal)|Nature]] | year = 2021 | volume = 592 | issue = 7853 | pages = 277–282 | pmid= 33545711 | doi= 10.1038/s41586-021-03291-y | pmc = 7610568 | s2cid= 232113127 |type= Accelerated article preview}}</ref>

Using In Silico approach, Shahhosseini et al. demonstrated that the Y501 mutation in lineage B.1.1.7 forms a shorter H-bond (length of 2.94 Å) than its counterpart in the [[wild type]] (WT) variant residue N501, indicating that in lineage B.1.1.7 the RBD and hACE2 have a stable interaction. Furthermore, the Y501 mutation in lineage B.1.1.7 contributes more negatively to Binding Free Energy (BFE) (-7.18 kcal/mol) than its counterpart in the WT variant residue N501 (-2.92 kcal/mol). As a result of combining BFE and molecular interaction results, the N501Y mutation in RBD strengthens binding affinity of SARS-CoV-2 RBD to hACE2.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Shahhosseini|first1=Nariman|last2=Babuadze|first2=George (Giorgi)|last3=Wong|first3=Gary|last4=Kobinger|first4=Gary P.|author4-link=Gary Kobinger|date=May 2021|title=Mutation Signatures and In Silico Docking of Novel SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern|journal=Microorganisms|language=en|volume=9|issue=5|page=926|doi=10.3390/microorganisms9050926|pmid=33925854|pmc=8146828|doi-access=free}}</ref>

In a detailed affinity and kinetic analysis of the interaction between the Spike RBD and ACE2, the N501Y mutation was found to significantly enhance the binding affinity between the RBD and ACE2 by approximately 10-fold, resulting from a 1.8-fold increase in the association rate constant (kon) and a 7-fold decrease in the dissociation rate constant (koff).<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Barton |first1=Michael I |last2=MacGowan |first2=Stuart A |last3=Kutuzov |first3=Mikhail A |last4=Dushek |first4=Omer |last5=Barton |first5=Geoffrey John |last6=van der Merwe |first6=P Anton |date=2021-08-26 |editor-last=Fouchier |editor-first=Ron AM |editor2-last=Van der Meer |editor2-first=Jos W |editor3-last=Fouchier |editor3-first=Ron AM |title=Effects of common mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD and its ligand, the human ACE2 receptor on binding affinity and kinetics |journal=eLife |volume=10 |pages=e70658 |doi=10.7554/eLife.70658 |pmid=34435953 |pmc=8480977 |issn=2050-084X |doi-access=free }}</ref>

===Virulence===
[[Matched cohort study|Matched cohort studies]] of the Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7) found higher mortality rate than earlier circulating variants overall,<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Challen R, Brooks-Pollock E, et al. |title=Risk of mortality in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern 202012/1: matched cohort study |journal=BMJ |date=9 March 2021 |volume=372 |pages=n579 |doi=10.1136/bmj.n579 |pmid=33687922 |pmc=7941603 }}</ref><ref name=":4" /> but not in hospitalised patients.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Frampton D, Rampling T, et al. |title=Genomic characteristics and clinical effect of the emergent SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 lineage in London, UK: a whole-genome sequencing and hospital-based cohort study |journal=The Lancet Infectious Diseases |date=April 2021 |volume=21 |issue=9 |pages=1246–1256 |doi=10.1016/S1473-3099(21)00170-5 |pmid=33857406 |pmc=8041359 }}</ref> An [[ecological study]] found no difference in mortality overall.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Graham MS, Sudre CH, et al. |title=Changes in symptomatology, reinfection, and transmissibility associated with the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7: an ecological study |journal=The Lancet Public Health |date=May 2021 |volume=6 |issue=5 |pages=e335–e345 |doi=10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00055-4 |pmid=33857453 |pmc=8041365 }}</ref>

Initially, NERVTAG said on 18 December 2020 that there were insufficient data to reach a conclusion regarding disease severity. At prime minister Boris Johnson's briefing the following day, officials said that there was "no evidence" as of that date that the variant [[Virulence|caused higher mortality]] or was affected differently by vaccines and treatments;<ref name="bbc212" /> [[Vivek Murthy]] agreed with this.<ref name="berger">{{Cite news |last=Berger|first=Miriam|date= 2020-12-20 |title=Countries across Europe halt flights from Britain over concerns about coronavirus mutation|language=en-US|newspaper= Washington Post|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/12/20/countries-across-europe-halt-flights-britain-over-concerns-about-coronavirus-mutation/|access-date= 2020-12-20|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201220230654/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/12/20/countries-across-europe-halt-flights-britain-over-concerns-about-coronavirus-mutation/|archive-date=20 December 2020|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> [[Susan Hopkins]], the joint medical adviser for the [[NHS Test and Trace]] and Public Health England (PHE), declared in mid-December 2020: "There is currently no evidence that this strain causes more severe illness, although it is being detected in a wide geography, especially where there are increased cases being detected."<ref name="BMJ" /> Around a month later, however—on 22 January 2021—Johnson said that "there is some evidence that the new variant [VOC-202012/01]... may be associated with a higher degree of mortality", though [[Patrick Vallance|Sir Patrick Vallance]], the government's [[Government Chief Scientific Adviser (United Kingdom)|Chief Scientific Advisor]], stressed that there is not yet enough evidence to be fully certain of this.<ref>{{cite news |title=New UK variant 'may be more deadly' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55768627 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=22 January 2021 }}</ref>

In a paper analysing twelve different studies on lineage B.1.1.7 death rate relative to other lineages, it was found to have a higher death rate (71% according to LSHTM, 70% according to University of Exeter, 65% according to Public Health England, and 36% according to Imperial College London), and NERVTAG concluded: "Based on these analyses, it is likely that infection with VOC B.1.1.7 is associated with an increased risk of hospitalisation and death compared to
infection with non-VOC viruses".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/961042/S1095_NERVTAG_update_note_on_B.1.1.7_severity_20210211.pdf|title=NERVTAG paper on COVID-19 variant of concern B.1.1.7: NERVTAG update note on B.1.1.7 severity (2021-02-11) |author=Peter Horby |author2=Catherine Huntley |author3=Nick Davies |author4=John Edmunds |author5=Neil Ferguson |author6=Graham Medley |author7=Andrew Hayward |author8=Muge Cevik |author9=Calum Semple |website=www.gov.uk|date=11 February 2021}}</ref> Results of the death studies were associated with some high uncertainty and confidence intervals, because of a limited sample size related to the fact that UK only analysed the VOC status for 8% of all COVID-19 deaths.<ref>{{cite web | last=Peston | first=Robert | work=ITV News | date=22 January 2021 | url=https://www.itv.com/news/2021-01-22/new-covid-19-strain-may-be-more-lethal-robert-peston-learns | access-date=24 January 2021 |title=New Covid-19 strain may be more lethal, Robert Peston learns}}</ref>

A UK case-control study for 54,906 participants, testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 between 1 October 2020 and 29 January 2021 in the community setting (not including vulnerable persons from care centres and other public institutions), reported that patients infected with the Alpha variant (VOC 202012/1) had a hazard ratio for death within 28 days of testing of 1.64 (95% confidence interval 1.32-2.04), as compared with matched patients positive for other variants of SARS-CoV-2.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Challen |first1=Robert |last2=Brooks-Pollock |first2=Ellen |last3=Read |first3=Jonathan M |last4=Dyson |first4=Louise |last5=Tsaneva-Atanasova |first5=Krasimira |last6=Danon |first6=Leon |title=Risk of mortality in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern 202012/1: matched cohort study |journal=BMJ |date=9 March 2021 |volume=372 |pages=n579 |doi=10.1136/bmj.n579 |pmid=33687922 |pmc=7941603 }}</ref> Also in the UK, a survival analysis of 1,146,534 participants testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 between 1 November 2020 and 14 February 2021, including individuals in the community and in care and nursing homes, found a hazard ratio of 1.61 (95% confidence interval 1.42–1.82) for death within 28 days of testing among individuals infected with lineage B.1.1.7; no significant differences in the increased hazard of death associated with lineage B.1.1.7 were found among individuals differing in age, sex, ethnicity, deprivation level, or place of residence.<ref name=":4">{{cite journal |vauthors=Davies NG, Jarvis CI, et al. |title=Increased mortality in community-tested cases of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 |journal=Nature |date=13 May 2021 |volume=593 |issue=7858 |pages=270–274 |doi=10.1038/s41586-021-03426-1|issn=0028-0836 |pmid=33723411 |pmc=9170116 |bibcode=2021Natur.593..270D |s2cid=232245304 }}</ref> Both studies adjusted for varying COVID-19 mortality by geographical region and over time, correcting for potential biases due to differences in testing rates or differences in the availability of hospital services over time and space.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}<!--<ref>The CMMID COVID-19 Working Group paper (doi 10.1038/s41586-021-03426-1) mentions multiple adjustment for covariates; In Challen et al., doi: 10.1136/bmj.n579, 'participants were matched on age, sex, ethnicity, index of multiple deprivation, lower tier local authority region, and sample date of positive specimens'</ref>-->

A Danish study found people infected by lineage B.1.1.7 to be 64% (32%–104%) more likely to get admitted to hospitals compared with people infected by another lineage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ssi.dk/aktuelt/nyheder/2021/b117-kan-fore-til-flere-indlaggelser|title=B.1.1.7 kan føre til flere indlæggelser|trans-title=B.1.1.7 might lead to more hospital admissions|author=Statens Serum Institut|language=da|date=24 February 2021|access-date=25 February 2021}}</ref>

Genetic sequencing of VOC-202012/01 has shown a Q27stop mutation which "truncates the [[Open reading frame|ORF8]] protein or renders it inactive".<ref name="Rambaut et al." /> An earlier study of SARS-CoV-2 variants which deleted the ORF8 gene noted that they "have been associated to milder symptoms and better disease outcome".<ref name="LostInDeletion"/> The study also noted that "SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 is an [[immunoglobulin]] (Ig)–like protein that modulates [[pathogenesis]]", that "SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 mediates [[major histocompatibility complex]] I (MHC-I) degradation", and that "SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 suppresses [[Interferon type I|type I interferon]] (IFN)–mediated antiviral response".<ref name="LostInDeletion">{{Cite journal | title=Lost in deletion: The enigmatic ORF8 protein of SARS-CoV-2 | date=2020|language=en-US | first=Luca | last=Zinzula | doi=10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.10.045 | journal=[[Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications]]| volume= 538 | pages= 116–24 | pmid= 33685621 | pmc= 7577707 }}</ref>

Referring to amino-acid position 501 inside the spike protein, Chand et al. concluded that "it is possible that variants at this position affect the efficacy of neutralisation of virus",{{sfnp|Chand et al.|p=6}} but noted that "[t]here is currently no neutralisation data on N501Y available from [[polyclonal]] [[Antiserum|sera]] from natural infection".{{sfnp|Chand et al.|p=6}} The HV 69–70 deletion has, however, been discovered "in viruses that eluded the [[immune response]] in some [[Immunodeficiency|immunocompromised]] patients",<ref name="Science Mag">{{cite journal |last1=Kupferschmidt |first1=Kai |title=Mutant coronavirus in the United Kingdom sets off alarms, but its importance remains unclear |journal=Science |date=20 December 2020 |doi=10.1126/science.abg2626 |s2cid=234564870 }}<br />See also {{harvp|COG-UK (20 December 2020)|p=4}}: "69–70del has been identified in variants associated with immune escape in immunocompromised patients...."</ref> and has also been found "in association with other {{Abbr|RBD|Receptor-binding domain}} changes".{{sfnp|Chand et al.|p=6}}

==Epidemiology==
[[File:Covid-19 VOC-202012-01 odds ratio curves by country.png|thumb|400px|Test determined growth curves on a logarithmic scale, for development of the Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7) share among all coronavirus positive samples in Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Switzerland, and Ireland.{{refn|Data sources:
* Denmark:<ref name="DK-covid19genomics">{{Cite web|url=https://www.covid19genomics.dk/statistics|title=Genomic overview of SARS-CoV-2 in Denmark|date=30 January 2021
|access-date=1 February 2021}}</ref>
* The Netherlands:<ref name="DutchData"/>
* Portugal:<ref name="PT-virological">{{Cite web|url=https://virological.org/t/tracking-sars-cov-2-voc-202012-01-lineage-b-1-1-7-dissemination-in-portugal-insights-from-nationwide-rt-pcr-spike-gene-drop-out-data/600|title=Tracking SARS-CoV-2 VOC 202012/01 (lineage B.1.1.7) dissemination in Portugal: insights from nationwide RT-PCR Spike gene drop out data|work=Update information including data from weeks 3-10, 2021: Posted after the article on 16 March 2021. Footnote of the previous updates explain that 91.8% of total SGTF+SGTL (~90% of SGTF and 100% of SGTL) was confirmed by genome sequence to be the B.1.1.7 variant. The B.1.1.7 shares were calculated as 91.8% of the total SGTF+SGTL share for each week.|last=Borges|first=Vítor|display-authors=etal|date=19 January 2021|access-date=16 March 2021}}</ref>
* Switzerland:<ref name="Switzerland">{{Cite web|title=Genomic Characterisation|url=https://sciencetaskforce.ch/en/nextstrain-phylogenetic-analysis/|author=Swiss National COVID-19 Science Task Force|access-date=15 March 2021|language=en-US}}</ref>
* The United Kingdom:<ref name="UKversusSWI"/>
* Ireland:<ref name="IE"/>
}} The slopes noted in brackets, are the relative exponential growth rate per day (e.g. 7.6% per day for Denmark).]]

[[File:Covid-19 VOC-202012-01 odds ratio curves by UK region.png|thumb|400px|Test determined growth curves on a logarithmic scale, for development of the Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7) share among all coronavirus positive samples in the United Kingdom, countries in the UK, and regions of England.{{refn|Data sources:
* UK national (2021-01-21):<ref name="UKversusSWI"/>
* South-East England (2020-12-31):<ref name="volz"/>
* UK countries (2021-01-29):<ref name="UK-survey-20210129">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/29january2021#positive-tests-that-are-compatible-with-the-new-uk-variant|title=Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, UK: 29 January 2021: 10. Positive tests that are compatible with the new UK variant|website=www.ons.gov.uk|display-authors=etal|date=2021-01-29|access-date=1 February 2021
}} {{OGL-attribution|version=3.0}}</ref>
* England regions (2021-01-15):<ref name="UK-Walker">{{Cite medRxiv |last1=Walker |first1=A. Sarah |last2=Vihta |first2=Karina-Doris |last3=Gethings |first3=Owen |last4=Pritchard |first4=Emma |last5=Jones |first5=Joel |last6=House |first6=Thomas |last7=Bell |first7=Iain |last8=Bell |first8=John I |last9=Newton |first9=John N |last10=Farrar |first10=Jeremy |last11=Diamond |first11=Ian |last12=Studley |first12=Ruth |last13=Rourke |first13=Emma |last14=Hay |first14=Jodie |last15=Hopkins |first15=Susan |last16=Crook |first16=Derrick |last17=Peto |first17=Tim |last18=Matthews |first18=Philippa C. |last19=Eyre |first19=David W. |last20=Stoesser |first20=Nicole |last21=Pouwels |first21=Koen B. |title=Increased infections, but not viral burden, with a new SARS-CoV-2 variant |date=15 January 2021 |medrxiv=10.1101/2021.01.13.21249721}}</ref>
}} The slopes noted in brackets, are the relative exponential growth rate per day (e.g. 8.6% per day for the UK).]]

Cases of the Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7) were estimated to be [[Under-reporting|under-reported]] by most countries as the most commonly used tests do not distinguish between this variant and other SARS-CoV-2 variants, and as many SARS-CoV-2 infections are not detected at all. RNA sequencing is required for detection of this variant,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Risk related to spread of new SARSCoV-2 variants of concern in the EU/EEA|url=https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/COVID-19-risk-related-to-spread-of-new-SARS-CoV-2-variants-EU-EEA.pdf|date=29 December 2020|website=www.ecdc.europa.eu|access-date=1 February 2021}}</ref> although [[Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction|RT-PCR test]] for specific variants{{efn|An example of this is the [[Deletion (genetics)|delta]] (Δ)–PCR test, which in connection to SARS-CoV-2, has been used to detect the HV 69–70 deletion in variants with this mutation<ref name="delta PCR">{{Cite news|author=Statens Serum Institut|date=4 February 2021|title=Delta-PCR-testen|trans-title=The delta-PCR test|language=da|url=https://covid19.ssi.dk/diagnostik/delta-pcr-testen|access-date=2021-02-11}}</ref> through what has been named "spike-gene target failure" (SGTF) or "spike-gene drop out"<ref name="PT-virological" /> for the spike (S) gene{{efn|name="S gene"}} in a subset of [[Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction|RT-PCR]] assays (e.g., TaqPath COVID-19 RT-PCR assay, ThermoFisher).<ref name="SGTFmethod">{{Cite journal |author=Antonin Bal |author2=Gregory Destras |author3=Alexandre Gaymard |author4=Karl Stefic |author5=Julien Marlet |collaboration=COVID-Diagnosis HCL Study Group |display-authors=etal |date=21 January 2021|title=Two-step strategy for the identification of SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern 202012/01 and other variants with spike deletion H69–V70; France; August to December 2020|journal=Eurosurveillance|volume=26 |issue=3 |language=en|doi=10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.3.2100008|pmid=33478625 |pmc=7848679 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Though existing in a few other variants of SARS-CoV-2,<ref name="PT-virological"/> the HV 69–70 deletion in the spike protein is present in the vast majority of B.1.1.7 genomes, which enables the delta-PCR test to be used as a proxy test for the lineage—or as a supplementing first-screening test before conducting the [[Whole genome sequencing|whole-genome sequencing]].<ref name="delta PCR"/><ref name="PT-virological"/>
<br />Another example of a RT-PCR test intended to detect specific variants is the one detecting all genomes with the N501Y mutation (e.g., Alpha, [[SARS-CoV-2 Gamma variant|Gamma variant]], and [[SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant|Beta variant]]), which is now also being used as a first-step screening tool ahead of genome sequencing by several laboratories/countries (e.g. by some parts of France).<ref name="France6"/>
<br />A third and fourth RT-PCR test intended for detecting specific variants pre-screen the samples for variants respectively with the N501Y+A570D mutations (Alpha) and N501Y without the A570D mutation (Beta, Gamma, and other N501Y variants).<ref name="Sweden3"/>|name=|group=}} can be used as a proxy test for Alpha  — or as a supplementing first-screening test before conducting the [[Whole genome sequencing|whole-genome sequencing]].<ref name="delta PCR"/><ref name="PT-virological"/>

As of 23 March, the Alpha variant had been detected in 125 out of 241 [[List of countries and dependencies by population#Sovereign states and dependencies by population|sovereign states and dependencies]] (or 104 out of 194 [[World Health Organization#Membership|WHO member countries]]),{{efn|name=WHOstatus|'''104 WHO members had reported a detection of the Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7), as of 23 March 2021:''' ''Albania, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg,  Malaysia, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.''<ref name="WHO"/><br />
<br />'''90 WHO members had not reported any detection of the Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7), as of 23 March 2021:''' ''Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Bahamas, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Guinea, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.''<ref name="WHO"/>}} of which some had reported existence of community transmission while others so far only found travel related cases.<ref name="WHO">{{cite web|url=https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20210323_weekly_epi_update_32.pdf?sfvrsn=cd8deb5a_4&download=true|title=COVID-19 weekly epidemiological update, 23 March 2021|publisher=WHO|date=23 March 2021|access-date=23 March 2021}}</ref> As of 16 March, it had become the [[#Development|dominant COVID-19 variant]] for 21 countries: United Kingdom (week 52), Ireland (week 2), Bulgaria (week 4), Slovakia (week 5), Israel (week 5), Luxembourg (week 5), Portugal (week 6), Denmark (week 7), Netherlands (week 7), Norway (week 7), Italy (week 7), Belgium (week 7), France (week 8), Austria (week 8), Switzerland (week 8), Liechtenstein (week 9), Germany (week 9), Sweden (week 9), Spain (week 9), Malta (week 10) and Poland (week 11). The emergence and the fast spreading of the new variant has been detected in Lebanon and a relationship noted between SARS-CoV-2 transmission intensity and the frequency of the new variant during the first twelve days of January.<ref>{{Cite medRxiv |vauthors=Younes M, Hamze K, et al. |title=Emergence and fast spread of B.1.1.7 lineage in Lebanon |date=26 January 2021 |medrxiv=10.1101/2021.01.25.21249974}}</ref> By February, Alpha became the dominant variant in Lebanon.<ref>{{Cite medRxiv |vauthors=Younes M, Hamze K, et al. |title=B.1.1.7 became the dominant variant in Lebanon |date=17 March 2021 |medrxiv=10.1101/2021.03.17.21253782}}</ref>

===Spread in UK===
The first case was likely in mid-September 2020 in London or [[Kent]], United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news|last=Higgins-Dunn|first=N.|date=19 December 2020|title=The U.K. has identified a new Covid-19 strain that spreads more quickly. Here's what they know|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/19/the-uk-has-identified-a-new-covid-19-strain-that-spreads-more-quickly-heres-what-they-know.html|publisher=MSNBC}}</ref> The variant was sequenced in September.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Team |first=The Lockdown Files |date=2023-03-09 |title=Covid variant that ruined Christmas hidden by scientists from ministers for months |language=en-GB |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/03/09/covid-variant-ruined-christmas-hidden-scientists-ministers-months/ |access-date=2023-03-13 |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> As of 13 December 2020, 1,108 cases with this variant had been identified in the UK in nearly 60 different local authorities. These cases were predominantly in the [[South East England|south east of England]]. The variant has also been identified in Wales and Scotland.<ref name="GenomicsUK">{{Cite web|title=COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) Consortium - Wellcome Sanger Institute|url=https://www.sanger.ac.uk/collaboration/covid-19-genomics-uk-cog-uk-consortium/|access-date=2020-12-23|website=www.sanger.ac.uk}}</ref> By November, around a quarter of cases in the [[COVID-19 pandemic in London]] were being caused by the new variant, and by December, that was a third.<ref name="BBCNews">{{cite news |last1=Gallagher |first1=James |title=New coronavirus variant: What do we know? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55388846 |access-date=21 December 2020 |work=BBC News |date=20 December 2020}}</ref> In mid-December, it was estimated that almost 60 percent of cases in London involved Alpha.<ref>{{Cite news |title=London Begins Emergency Lockdown as U.K. Fights New Virus Strain | publisher=Bloomberg News | last1 = Ross |first1 = T. | last2 = Spence | first2 = E. |date=19 December 2020 |url= https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-19/london-put-in-emergency-lockdown-as-u-k-fights-new-virus-strain }}</ref> By 25 January 2021, the number of confirmed and probable UK cases had grown to 28,122.<ref>{{cite web |title=Variants – distribution of cases data: data up to 25 January 2021 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-variants-genomically-confirmed-case-numbers/variants-distribution-of-cases-data-data-up-to-25-january-2021 |website=Gov.uk |publisher=Public Health England |access-date=27 January 2021 |date=26 January 2021}} {{OGL-attribution|version=3.0}}</ref>

===Spread in Europe===
<!--This chapter list countries chronologically according to the week number when B.1.1.7 became dominant-->
The variant became dominant for:
* [[South East England]] in week 48, the last week of November 2020.<ref name="volz"/>
* [[England]] in week 51 of 2020.<ref name="England"/>
* [[United Kingdom]] in week 52 of 2020.<ref name="UKversusSWI"/>
* [[Scotland]] and [[Northern Ireland]] in week 1 of 2021.<ref name="UK-survey-20210129"/>
* [[Wales]] in week 2 of 2021.<ref name="UK-survey-20210129"/>
* [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] in week 2 of 2021.<ref name="IE"/>
In Bulgaria, genome sequencing found the variant to be dominant with 52.1% in week 4, followed by 73.4% in week 9.<ref name="BUL"/>
[[file:Verbreitung der SARS-CoV-2-Virusvarianten in Deutschland.svg|thumb|400px|Distribution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus variants after entering Germany]]
Also in Slovakia, a RT-PCR Multiplex DX test capable of detecting the 2 deletions specific for lineage B.1.1.7 (ΔH69/ΔV70 and ΔY144),<ref name="MultiplexDX">{{Cite web|author=Kovacova, V. |display-authors=etal|date=5 February 2021|title=A novel, room temperature-stable, multiplexed RT-qPCR assay to distinguish lineage B.1.1.7 from the remaining SARS-CoV-2 lineages.|website=virological.org|url=https://virological.org/t/a-novel-room-temperature-stable-multiplexed-rt-qpcr-assay-to-distinguish-lineage-b-1-1-7-from-the-remaining-sars-cov-2-lineages/611|access-date=21 February 2021}}</ref> first found the variant nationwide in 74% of cases on 3 February (week 5), followed by 72% of cases on 15 February (week 7), and it then grew to 90% of cases on 3 March (week 9).<ref name="SVK">{{Cite news|author=Ján Mikas, hlavný hygienik Slovenskej Republiky|date=9 March 2021|title=Britský variant potvrdený na Slovensku v 90% vyšetrených vzoriek|trans-title=British variant confirmed in Slovakia in 90% of examined samples|language=sk|publisher=Public Health Office of the Slovak Republic|url=https://www.uvzsr.sk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4651|access-date=17 March 2021|archive-date=13 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513135235/https://www.uvzsr.sk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4651}}</ref> The same test found earlier on 8 January prevalence of the variant at a rate of 36% in the [[Michalovce District]] and 29% in [[Nitra]].<ref name="SVK2">{{Cite news|date=9 January 2021|title=Aktuálna epidemiologická situácia na Slovensku (prezentácia, 8. január 2021)|trans-title=Current epidemiological situation in Slovakia (presentation, January 8, 2021)|language=sk|publisher=Public Health Office of the Slovak Republic|url=https://www.uvzsr.sk/docs/info/covid19/Epidemiologicka_situacia_210108_v1.pdf|access-date=21 February 2021|archive-date=14 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210714020630/https://www.uvzsr.sk/docs/info/covid19/Epidemiologicka_situacia_210108_v1.pdf}}</ref>

In Israel, the variant was first time detected by genome sequencing 23 December 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.il/en/departments/news/23122020-07|title=Press Releases: Four Cases of COVID-19 Variant found in the United Kingdom Have Been Discovered in Israel|publisher=Ministry of Health|date=23 December 2020|access-date=26 February 2021}}</ref> [[Leumit Health Care Services]] however analysed with the proxy test RT-PCR (SGTF) and found the variant at a rate of 3‑4% on 15 December.<ref name="ISR1"/> The national Ministry of Health estimated based on genome sequencing, that the prevalence of the variant became dominant (70%) on 6 February<ref name="ISR5"/> followed by 90% on 16 February.<ref name="ISR7"/>

In Luxembourg, a weekly genome sequencing revealed that the variant grew from 0.3% (week 51) to be dominant with a share of 53.0% in week 5, although results might not be fully representative due to the fact that no correction occurred from potential targeting bias from contact tracing, airport travellers and local outbreaks. Genome sequencing of a population representative randomized test pool - with no target bias - was conducted since week 6, and it confirmed the dominant status of the variant at a rate of 54.1% (week 6) growing to 62.8% (week 9), while the competing [[SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant|Beta variant]] (lineage B.1.351) was found to be at 18.5% in week 9.<ref name="LUX">{{Cite web|title=Respiratory Viruses Surveillance – REVILUX: Respiratory Viruses Sentinelle Newsletter, REVILUX bulletin hebdomadaire|trans-title=Respiratory Viruses Surveillance – REVILUX: Respiratory Viruses Sentinelle Newsletter, REVILUX weekly update|author=Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS)|url=https://lns.lu/en/departement/department-of-microbiology/revilux/|date=18 March 2021|access-date=18 March 2021|archive-date=17 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211217115439/https://lns.lu/en/departement/department-of-microbiology/revilux/}}</ref>

In Denmark the variant grew from 0.3% (week 46 of 2020) to become dominant with 65.9% (week 7 of 2021), and it grew further to 92.7% (week 10); with the regional prevalence ranging from 87.3% in the [[North Jutland Region]] to 96.1% in the [[Central Denmark Region]].<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://files.ssi.dk/covid19/virusvarianter/status/status-virusvarianter-20032021-i33i|title=Status for udvikling af SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOC) i Danmark|trans-title=Status of development of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOC) in Denmark|language=da|publisher=Statens Serum Institut|date=20 March 2021|access-date=20 March 2021}}</ref> The observed growth of the relative variant share, was in full accordance with the earlier modelled forecast,<ref name="SSImodel2"/> that had predicted dominance (over 50%) around mid-February and a prevalence of around 80% of the total circulating variants by early March.<ref name="SSImodel1">{{cite report|url=https://covid19.ssi.dk/-/media/cdn/files/notat-om-prognoser-for-smittetal-og-indlggelser_01022021.pdf?la=da|title=Notat om prognoser for smittetal og indlæggelser ved scenarier for genåbning af 0.-4. klasse i grundskolen|language=Danish|trans-title=[[Memorandum]] on forecasts for infection rates and hospital admissions in scenarios for reopening of 0th–4th class in primary school|publisher=[[Statens Serum Institut]]|access-date=2 February 2021 |date=31 January 2021}}</ref> In comparison, the genome sequencing only found the competing Beta variant in 0.4% of the positive cases (9 times out of 2315 tests) in week 10.<ref name="DEN1203">{{cite web|url=https://files.ssi.dk/covid19/virusvarianter/status/status-virusvarianter-12032021-uh7y|title=Status for udvikling af SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOC) i Danmark|trans-title=Status of development of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOC) in Denmark|language=da|publisher=Statens Serum Institut|date=12 March 2021|access-date=20 March 2021}}</ref><ref name="DEN1903">{{cite web|url=https://files.ssi.dk/covid19/virusvarianter/status/status-virusvarianter-19032021-j3k4|title=Status for udvikling af SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOC) i Danmark|trans-title=Status of development of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOC) in Denmark|language=da|publisher=Statens Serum Institut|date=19 March 2021|access-date=20 March 2021}}</ref>

In the Netherlands, a randomly conducted genome sequencing found that the variant grew from 1.3% of cases in week 49 to a dominant share of 61.3% in week 7, followed by 82.0% in week 9; while the competing Beta variant in comparison was found to be at 3.0% in week 9.<ref name="DutchData">{{Cite web|author=National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) - Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport|date=23 March 2021|title=Variants of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2|url=https://www.rivm.nl/en/novel-coronavirus-covid-19/virus-sars-cov-2/variants-of-coronavirus-sars-cov-2|access-date=23 March 2021|website=www.rivm.nl}}</ref> In Amsterdam, the Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7) grew from 5.2% (week 52) to 54.5% (week 6).<ref name="DutchData5">{{Cite web|author=Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport|date=23 February 2021|title=Advies VWS na OMT 101|trans-title=Advice from VWS after 101th OMT on COVID-19|url=https://open.overheid.nl/repository/ronl-09bf1c47-e36e-44c8-b33e-c9877a71f455/1/pdf/advies-vws-na-omt-101.pdf|access-date=13 April 2022|website=overheid.nl|language=nl}}</ref>

In Norway, the variant was found by genome sequencing to grow from 5.7% (week 1) into dominance by a 58.4% (week 7), followed by 65.0% (week 8).<ref name="NOR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.fhi.no/contentassets/8a971e7b0a3c4a06bdbf381ab52e6157/vedlegg/2021/ukerapport-for-uke-8-22.02---28.02.21.pdf|title=COVID-19 Ukerapport – uke 8, onsdag 3. mars 2021|trans-title=COVID-19 weekly report for week 8 (wednesday 3 March 2021)|language=no|author=Folkehelseinstituttet|date=3 March 2021|access-date=4 March 2021|archive-date=19 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119205120/https://www.fhi.no/contentassets/8a971e7b0a3c4a06bdbf381ab52e6157/vedlegg/2021/ukerapport-for-uke-8-22.02---28.02.21.pdf}}</ref> Another large survey comprising results of both genome sequencing and PCR proxy tests, with a sample seize of more than 1000 tests per week (since week 4), at the same time found that the variant grew from 2.0% (week 48) into dominance by 60.0% (week 7), followed by 72.7% in week 10 - while only 2.2% of cases in comparison were found to be of the Beta variant.<ref name="NOR5">{{cite web|url=https://www.fhi.no/contentassets/8a971e7b0a3c4a06bdbf381ab52e6157/vedlegg/2021/ukerapport-for-uke-10-08.03---14.03.21.pdf|title=COVID-19 Ukerapport – uke 10, onsdag 17. mars 2021|trans-title=COVID-19 weekly report for week 10 (wednesday 17 March 2021)|language=no|author=Folkehelseinstituttet|date=17 March 2021|access-date=17 March 2021|archive-date=17 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210317154422/https://www.fhi.no/contentassets/8a971e7b0a3c4a06bdbf381ab52e6157/vedlegg/2021/ukerapport-for-uke-10-08.03---14.03.21.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The variant regionally had its highest share in the county of [[Oslo]] and [[Viken (county)|Viken]],<ref name="NOR3">{{cite web|url=https://www.fhi.no/sv/smittsomme-sykdommer/corona/statistikk-over-tilfeller-av-koronavirusvarianter/#forekomst-av-engelsk-koronavirusvariant|title=Statistikk over meldte tilfeller av den engelske og den sør-afrikanske varianten av koronavirus|trans-title=Statistics on reported cases of the English and South African variants of coronavirus|language=no|author=Folkehelseinstituttet|date=26 February 2021|access-date=28 February 2021}}</ref>  growing from 18% to 90% of analysed samples in Oslo from 20 January to 23 February (although with the data-corrected estimate a bit lower at 50-70% on 23 February); while growing from 21% to 80% of analysed samples in Viken from 25 January to 23 February (although with the data-corrected estimate a bit lower at 50% on 23 February).<ref name="NOR4">{{cite web|url=https://www.fhi.no/nyheter/2021/engelsk-virusvariant-dominerer-i-oslo-og-viken/|title=Engelsk virusvariant dominerer i Oslo og Viken|trans-title=English virus variant dominates in Oslo and Viken|language=no|author=Folkehelseinstituttet|date=27 February 2021|access-date=28 February 2021|archive-date=17 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417235139/https://www.fhi.no/nyheter/2021/engelsk-virusvariant-dominerer-i-oslo-og-viken/|url-status=dead}}</ref> For the period 15 February to 14 March, the combined survey of genome sequencing and PCR proxy tests, also found the Alpha variant was at a dominant rate over 50% for 8 out of 11 regions, with its highest rate (82%) found for Oslo; while the region [[Nordland]] was different from all other regions by having only 6% cases of Alpha along with a dominant 88% of cases represented by the Beta variant.<ref name="NOR5"/>

In Portugal, the variant represented according to a national genome sequencing survey: 16.0% of the Covid-19 infections during 10–19 January (week 2),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Diversidade genética do novo coronavírus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) em Portugal|trans-title=Genetic diversity of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (COVID-19) in Portugal|author=Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INSA), Doutor Ricardo Jorge|url=https://insaflu.insa.pt/covid19/relatorios/INSA_SARS_CoV_2_DIVERSIDADE_GENETICA_relatorio_situacao_2021-02-05.pdf|date=2021-02-05|access-date=2021-02-07|language=pt}}</ref> followed by a dominant 58.2% in week 6.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Diversidade genética do novo coronavírus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) em Portugal (3 de Março de 2021)|trans-title=Genetic diversity of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (COVID-19) in Portugal (3 March 2021)|author=Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INSA), Doutor Ricardo Jorge|url=https://insaflu.insa.pt/covid19/relatorios/INSA_SARS_CoV_2_DIVERSIDADE_GENETICA_relatorio_situacao_2021-03-03.pdf|date=3 March 2021|access-date=4 March 2021|language=pt}}</ref> A national RT-PCR proxy test based on SGTF and SGTL observations, found the variant at a rate of 33.5% in week 4, but observed afterwards a decelerating pace for the weekly rise of the variant share (reason unknown), and according to this study it only became dominant by 50.5% {{small|(91.8% of 55.0% SGTFL)}} in week 8, followed by 64.3% {{small|(91.8% of 70% SGTFL)}} in week 10.<ref name="PT-virological"/>

In Italy, the Alpha variant accounted for 17.8% of cases nationwide on 4–5 February (week 5),<ref name="ITA1">{{cite web|url=https://www.iss.it/primo-piano/-/asset_publisher/3f4alMwzN1Z7/content/id/5624099?_com_liferay_asset_publisher_web_portlet_AssetPublisherPortlet_INSTANCE_3f4alMwzN1Z7|title=Prevalenza della variante VOC 202012/01, lineage B.1.1.7 in Italia (Studio di prevalenza 4-5 febbraio 2021)|trans-title=Prevalence of the VOC variant 202012/01, lineage B.1.1.7 in Italy (Prevalence study February 4–5, 2021)|language=it|author=Istituto Superiore di Sanità|date=February 15, 2021|access-date=February 17, 2021}}</ref> followed by 54.0% on 18 February (week 7). The regional prevalence for week 7 ranged from 0% in [[Aosta Valley]] (although only one sample was tested) to 93.3% in [[Molise]]. In week 7, the competing [[SARS-CoV-2 Gamma variant|Gamma variant]] had a prevalence of 4.3% (ranging between 0%-36.2% regionally) and the South African variant a prevalence of 0.4% (ranging between 0%-2.9% regionally).<ref name="ITA2">{{cite web|url=https://www.iss.it/primo-piano/-/asset_publisher/3f4alMwzN1Z7/content/id/5647546|title=CS N° 14/2021 - In Italia il 54% delle infezioni dovute a 'variante inglese', il 4,3% a quella 'brasiliana' e lo 0,4% a quella 'sudafricana'|trans-title=CS N° 14/2021 - In Italy 54% of infections due to the 'English variant', 4.3% to the 'Brazilian' one and 0.4% to the 'South African' one|language=it|author=Istituto Superiore di Sanità|date=2 March 2021|access-date=5 March 2021}}</ref>

In Switzerland, a nationwide weekly genome sequencing survey found that the Alpha variant grew from 0.05% (week 51) to a dominant 58.2% of cases in week 8, followed by 71.1% in week 9.<ref name="Switzerland"/> This was in full accordance with a model from 9 February that had forecast dominance around mid-February.<ref name="SWImodel">{{cite web|url=https://sciencetaskforce.ch/wissenschaftliches-update-09-februar-2021/|title=Wissenschaftliches update 09 februar 2021|trans-title=Scientific update of 9 February 2021|language=de|publisher=Swiss National COVID-19 Task Force|date=9 February 2021|access-date=17 February 2021}}</ref> In comparison, the competing Beta variant was only found nationwide in 1.0% of the positive cases in week 9.<ref name="Switzerland"/>

In Belgium, genome sequencing of samples selected randomly after excluding all samples from active targeted testing related to local outbreaks or travels (creating a statistical representative national sample with a seize equal to 4.4%<!--1010/22861--> of all COVID-19 positive tests), found that the Alpha variant share grew from 7.1% in week 1 to a dominant 51.5% in week 7, followed by 79.3% in week 10.<ref name="BEL2">{{Cite web|title=Covid-19 Wekelijks Epidemiologisch Bulletin (19 Maart 2021)|trans-title=Covid-19 Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin (19 March 2021)|url=https://covid-19.sciensano.be/sites/default/files/Covid19/COVID-19_Weekly_report_NL.pdf|author=Sciensano|date=19 March 2021|access-date=19 March 2021|work=Moleculaire surveillance van SARS-CoV-2 (p.20-22)|language=nl}}</ref> The variant was first time detected by targeted genome sequencing in week 49, but due to a small sample seize (not being random, and less than 100 tests per week) then no reliable variant share data could be determined before week 1.<ref name="BEL1">{{Cite web|title=Covid-19 Wekelijks Epidemiologisch Bulletin (19 Februari 2021)|trans-title=Covid-19 Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin (February 19, 2021)|url=http://covid-19.sciensano.be/sites/default/files/Covid19/COVID-19_Weekly%20report_20210219%20-%20NL.pdf|author=Sciensano|date=19 February 2021|access-date=25 February 2021|work=Moleculaire surveillance van SARS-CoV-2 (p.21-24)|language=nl}}</ref> The proxy test for the variant (RT-PCR SGTF) was also conducted for a sample seize equal to 25.8%<!--5900/22861--> of all COVID-19 positive tests, and found a dominant 54.8% SGTF rate for week 10. In comparison, the competing [[SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant|Beta variant]] was found to be at 3.6% and the [[SARS-CoV-2 Gamma variant|Gamma variant]] had a prevalence of 1.8% in week 10.<ref name="BEL2"/>

In France, scientists accurately forecast the Alpha variant (VOC-202012/01) would likely become dominant nationwide around week 8–11 of 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Estimated date of dominance of VOC-202012/01 strain in France and projected scenarios|url=https://www.epicx-lab.com/uploads/9/6/9/4/9694133/inserm_covid-19-voc_dominance-20210116.pdf|date=16 January 2021}}</ref> A nationwide survey of randomly selected positive COVID-19 samples first analysed by a RT-PCR screening test and subsequently confirmed by genome sequencing, revealed that the variant grew from a share of 3.3% (388/11916) on 7–8 January (week 1)<ref name="France">{{cite web|url=https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/content/download/315275/2903017|title=COVID-19: Point épidémiologi que hebdomadaire du 28 janvier 2021|trans-title=COVID-19: Weekly epidemiological update of 28 January 2021|language=fr|author=Santé Publique France|date=January 28, 2021|access-date=February 1, 2021}}</ref> to 13.3% (475/3561) on 27 January (week 4),<ref name="France6">{{cite web|url=https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/content/download/326672/2952356|title=COVID-19: Point épidémiologi que hebdomadaire du 11 mars 2021|trans-title=COVID-19: Weekly epidemiological update of 11 March 2021|language=fr|author=Santé Publique France|date=11 March 2021|access-date=12 March 2021}}</ref> followed by 44.3% (273/615<!--88%*699-->) on 16 February (week 7).<ref name="France6"/> In week 8, the variant was found to have a dominant share of 56.4% (758/1345<!--87.9%*1530-->) according to the interpretable results of a weekly genome sequencing survey comprising 0.9% of all COVID-19 positive tests, or 59.5% according to a variant-specific RT-PCR survey testing 54% of all the COVID-19 positive tests.<ref name="France5"/> In week 10, the variant was found to have a share of 71.9% according to a variant-specific RT-PCR survey testing 56.9% of all the COVID-19 positive tests. The spread of the variant differed regionally for the 96 [[Departments of France|departments]] located in [[Metropolitan France]] for week 10, with 91 departments over 50% and 5 departments with 30%-50% (of which the [[Moselle (department)|Moselle department]] in particular was notable due to finding a high 38.3% rate of the competing Beta variant, that - despite having declined from a dominant 54.4% value in week 8 - still was significantly above the 5.0% national average for this specific variant).<ref name="France7"/>

In Austria, [[w:de:Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit|Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit (AGES)]] collected data from N501Y RT-PCR specific tests combined with subsequent genome sequencing analysis, and found that the variant grew from 7.2% (week 1) to a dominant 61.3% (week 8), followed by 61.2% in week 9 and 48.3% in week 10. If all N501Y positive tests had been analysed further by genome sequencing, then these listed shares could have been even higher, for example they could have been as mcuh as: 2.4% higher for week 1, 23.0% higher for week 7, 4.0% higher for week 8, 6.8% higher for week 9 and 25.4% higher for week 10. The competing Beta variant was only found nationwide in 0.3% of the positive cases in week 10, and for the region [[Tyrol (state)|Tyrol]] - where it had been most prevalent - its share declined from 24.5% in week 4 to just 1.9% in week 10. Regionally Alpha was found to be dominant with over 50% for 7 out of [[States of Austria|9 regions]], with the only two exceptions being Tyrol and [[Vorarlberg]].<ref name="Austria"/>

In Germany, the largest and probably most representative national survey published by the [[Robert Koch Institute]] (entitled ''RKI-Testzahlerfassung''), determined the share of circulating COVID-19 variants for the latest week by analysing 53,272 COVID-19 positive samples either by genome sequencing or RT-PCR proxy tests, with data collected on a voluntary basis from 84 laboratories from the university / research / clinical / outpatient sector - spread evenly across the nation. The survey did not utilize data weights or data selection criteria to ensure existence of geographical representativity, but might still be regarded as somewhat representative for the national average due to its big sample seize. According to the ''RKI-Testzahlerfassung'' survey, the variant grew from a share of 2.0% (week 2) to a dominant share of 54.5% (week 9), followed by 63.5% in week 10. In comparison, the competing Beta variant was only found nationwide in 0.9% of the positive cases in week 10.<ref name="GER1"/>

In Malta, the variant was first time detected by genome sequencing on 30 December 2020,<ref name="Malta1"/> and represented 8% of the positive cases in week 7.<ref name="Malta2">{{cite web|title=COVID-19: Bars and band clubs to remain shut in March, Chris Fearne says|url=https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/107931/covid19_bars_and_band_clubs_to_remain_shut_in_march_chris_fearne_says#.YEyAfGhKjb0|publisher=Malta Today|author=Laura Calleja|date=24 February 2021|access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref> A new RT-PCR variant specific test was introduced for the surveillance,<ref name="Malta3">{{cite web|title=Malta to get new swab tests which can identify Covid-19 variants|url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2021-03-04/local-news/Malta-to-get-new-swab-tests-which-can-identify-Covid-19-variants-6736231533|publisher=Malta Independent|date=4 March 2021|access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref> where the first results reported on 10 March revealed the variant now represented 61% of cases nationwide.<ref name="Malta4">{{Cite web|title=UK virus variant detected in 60 per cent of new COVID cases|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/uk-virus-variant-detected-in-60-per-cent-of-new-covid-cases.857197|access-date=2021-03-10|author=Claire Farrugia|publisher=Times of Malta|date=10 March 2021|language=en-gb}}</ref>

In Sweden, the national authorities initially expected the variant would become dominant around week 12–14 under the assumption of 50% increased transmissibility compared to the original virus.<ref name="SWEmodel">{{cite web|url=https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/publicerat-material/publikationsarkiv/s/scenario-for-fortsatt-spridning--delrapport-2/|title=Scenarier för fortsatt spridning – interimsrapport|trans-title=Scenarios for continued dissemination - interim report|language=sv|author=Folkhälsomyndigheten|date=February 4, 2021|access-date=February 8, 2021}}</ref> In average, the variant share was found growing from 10.8% (week 4) to 36.9% (week 7) across five of its southern regions ([[Skåne County|Skåne]], [[Västra Götaland County|Västra Götaland]], [[Västmanland County|Västmanland]], [[Gävleborg County|Gävleborg]] and [[Örebro County|Örebro]]).<ref name="Sweden2">{{cite web|url=https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/smittskydd-beredskap/utbrott/aktuella-utbrott/covid-19/statistik-och-analyser/sars-cov-2-virusvarianter-av-sarskild-betydelse/tidigare-statistik/vecka-8-2021/|title=Publicerad statistik för SARS-CoV-2 virusvarianter av särskild betydelse under vecka 8 2021|trans-title=Statistics on SARS-CoV-2 Variants Of Concern for week 8 2021|language=sv|publisher=Folkhälsomyndigheten|date=15 March 2021|access-date=15 March 2021|archive-date=11 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211011072628/https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/smittskydd-beredskap/utbrott/aktuella-utbrott/covid-19/statistik-och-analyser/sars-cov-2-virusvarianter-av-sarskild-betydelse/tidigare-statistik/vecka-8-2021/}}</ref> For week 7, the share of the variant was for the first time also calculated to 30.4% as the overall average for 19 out of 21 [[Counties of Sweden|Swedish regions]] (ranging from 3.3% in [[Blekinge County|Blekinge]] to 45% in Gävleborg). For week 9, the share of the variant was calculated to a dominant 56.4% as the overall average for the 19 regions (ranging from 16% in [[Kronoberg County|Kronoberg]] to 72% in Gävleborg). For week 10, the share of the variant was calculated to have increased further to 71.3% as the overall average for the 19 regions (ranging from 40% in [[Kronoberg County|Kronoberg]] to 84% in [[Jönköping County|Jönköping]]). Although no geographical weights were applied to ensure geographical representativity for the calculated average for the 19 regions, the overall sample seize of 12,417 variant tests represented 43.1% of all COVID-19 positive PCR-tests for week 10, inferring that the result of the survey might be close to represent the actual true average for the nation as a whole.<ref name="Sweden3"/>

In the [[microstate]] [[Liechtenstein]], the first case of Alpha was detected on 19 December 2020. During the entire pandemic, 67 VOC-N501Y PCR-positive cases were detected comprising 58 cases of Alpha, 1 of Beta (detected 1 February) and 8 un-identified N501Y cases (from 10 Dec. to 22 Feb.), as of 18 March 2021. The weekly average of each days calculated 7-day rolling average for the share of all detected VOC-N501Y cases (which is a good proxy for Alpha in Liechtenstein), was found to be 10.9% in week 5, followed by a dominant 52.2% in week 9 (where 8 out of 15 tests were found to be Alpha); and grew further to 73.4% in week 10 (where 6 out of 9 tests were found to be Alpha).<ref name="LIE">{{cite web|url=https://www.covid19.admin.ch/en/epidemiologic/virus-variants?detTime=phase2b&detGeo=FL|title=COVID-⁠19 Switzerland Information on the current situation, as of 18 March 2021: Key figures, Liechtenstein|publisher=[[Federal Office of Public Health]]|work=Download data: Data as .csv file.|date=18 March 2021|access-date=18 March 2021}}</ref>

In Spain, the variant share was estimated nationwide to be 5%-10% of cases on 29 January,<ref name="SPA">{{Cite web|title=Spanish Health Ministry estimates British variant accounts for up to 10% of positives in Spain|url=https://murciatoday.com/spanish_health_ministry_estimates_british_variant_accounts_for_up_to_10_of_positives_in_spain_1555209-a.html|date=30 January 2021|access-date=3 February 2021|website=murciatoday.com}}</ref> followed by 20%-25% of cases on 18 February<ref name="SPA4A">{{Cite web|title=La variante británica representa ya el 20% de los casos en España|trans-title=The British variant already represents 20% of cases in Spain|author=Alvaro Soto|url=https://www.msn.com/es-es/noticias/espana/la-variante-brit%C3%A1nica-representa-ya-el-20percent-de-los-casos-en-espa%C3%B1a/ar-BB1dNIzt|language=es|date=18 February 2021|access-date=22 February 2021|website=msn.com}}</ref><ref name="SPA4B">{{Cite web|title=Autoridades sanitarias afirmaron que la cepa británica circula "ampliamente" en España|trans-title=Health authorities affirmed that the British strain circulates "widely" in Spain|url=https://www.telam.com.ar/notas/202102/544987-espana-coronavirus-cepa-britanica.html|publisher=Télam|language=es|date=18 February 2021|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref> and 25%-30% of cases on 22 February,<ref name="SPA3">{{Cite web|title=Detectadas en España las nuevas variantes nigeriana y de Río de Janeiro del coronavirus|trans-title=The new Nigerian and Rio de Janeiro variants of the coronavirus detected in Spain|author=Manuel Vilaseró|url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/sociedad/20210222/sanidad-alerta-cuatro-nuevas-variantes-coronavirus-covid-11537278|language=es|date=22 February 2021|access-date=1 March 2021}}</ref> and estimated to be dominant with over 50% as of 3 March (week 9).<ref name="SPA5">{{Cite web|title=Darias: "La variante británica ya es la dominante en España"|trans-title=Darias: "The British variant is already the dominant one in Spain"|author=Miguel Hidalgo Pérez|url=https://www.niusdiario.es/sociedad/sanidad/darias-variante-britanica-ya-es-dominante-espana_18_3100395333.html|language=es|date=3 March 2021|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref> As of week 10, the prevalence of the variant ranged from 18.3% to 97.0% for the [[Autonomous communities of Spain|17 regions]], with all but two regions having a dominant rate above 50%:<ref name="SPA2">{{cite web|url=https://www.mscbs.gob.es/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov/documentos/COVID19_Actualizacion_variantes_20210318.pdf|title=Actualización de la situación epidemiológica de las variantes de importancia en salud pública en España (18 de marzo de 2021)|trans-title=Update of the epidemiological situation of Variants of Importance in Public Health in Spain (18 March 2021)|language=es|publisher=Ministerio de Sanidad, Consumo y Bienestar Social|date=18 March 2021|access-date=18 March 2021}}</ref>
* No data reported by [[Extremadura]].
* 18.3% for week 10 in [[Aragon]].
* 27.0% for week 7 in [[Canary Islands]].
* 51.3% for week 8 in [[Castile and León]].
* 52.2% for week 10 in [[Valencian Community|Valencia]].
* 52.8% for week 10 in [[Castilla–La Mancha]].
* 53.3% for week 4 in [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]].
* 59.5% for week 9 in [[La Rioja]].
* 59.7% for week 10 in [[Community of Madrid|Madrid]].
* 61.6% for week 11 in [[Andalusia]].
* 76.1% for week 10 in [[Balearic Islands]].
* 76.7% for week 10 in [[Region of Murcia|Murcia]].
* 77.4% for week 10 in [[Basque Country (autonomous community)|Basque Country]].
* 77.8% for week 10 in [[Navarre]].
* 83.1% for week 10 in [[Cantabria]].
* 84.6% for week 9 in [[Catalonia]].
* 97.0% for week 10 in [[Asturias]].

In Poland, a national survey among infected teachers led to experts estimating that the variant share was between 5% and 10% nationwide as of 11 February,<ref name="POL">{{cite web|url=https://www.medonet.pl/koronawirus/koronawirus-w-polsce,brytyjski-wariant-koronawirusa-w-polsce--ile-jest-zakazen--jaka-jest-skala-,artykul,67482636.html|title=Brytyjski wariant koronawirusa - jaka jest skala jego obecności w Polsce?|trans-title=British variant of the coronavirus - what is the scale of its presence in Poland?|language=pl|publisher=Medonet|author=Adrian Dabek|date=February 11, 2021|access-date=February 17, 2021}}</ref> while [[European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control|ECDC]] reported it to be 9% as of 15 February.<ref name="ECDC2">{{Cite web|author=European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control|date=15 February 2021|title=Rapid Risk Assessment: SARS-CoV-2 increased circulation of variants of concern and vaccine rollout in the EU/EEA, 14th update, 15 February 2021|url=https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/RRA-covid-19-14th-update-15-feb-2021.pdf|access-date=18 February 2021|website=www.ecdc.europa.eu}}</ref> According to Health minister [[Adam Niedzielski]], the variant was found at a rate of 5% in the first studies from the second half of January, and then it increased by ten percentage points every ten days, until it became dominant nationwide by a 52% rate on 16 March (week 11).<ref name="POL2">{{Cite web|title=Od 20 marca w całej Polsce obowiązują rozszerzone zasady bezpieczeństwa|trans-title=From March 20, extended safety rules apply throughout Poland|url=https://www.gov.pl/web/koronawirus/od-20-marca-w-calej-polsce-obowiazuja-rozszerzone-zasady-bezpieczenstwa|date=17 March 2021|access-date=17 March 2021|website=gov.pl|publisher=Government of Poland|language=pl}}</ref><ref name="POL3">{{Cite web|title=Nowe obostrzenia w calym kraju od 20 marca do 9 kwietnia|trans-title=New restrictions nationwide from March 20 to April 9|url=https://www.pap.pl/aktualnosci/news%2C835182%2Cnowe-obostrzenia-w-calym-kraju-od-20-marca-do-9-kwietnia.html|date=17 March 2021|access-date=17 March 2021|website=pap.pl|publisher=Polska Agencja Prasowa |author=Sylwia Dabkowska-Pozyczka |author2=Edyta Ros |author3=Wiktoria Nicalek |author4=Karol Kostrzewa |author5=Aleksandra Rebelinska |language=pl}}</ref> Regionally, the variant had already exceeded 70% for [[Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship|Warmian-Masurian]] and [[Pomeranian Voivodeship|Pomeranian]] on 22–23 February (week 8),<ref name="POL4">{{Cite web|title=Brytyjski wariant koronawirusa może dominować na Pomorzu|trans-title=The British variant of the coronavirus may be dominant in Pomerania|url=https://www.trojmiasto.pl/wiadomosci/Brytyjski-wariant-koronawirusa-moze-dominowac-na-Pomorzu-n153727.html|date=2 March 2021|access-date=17 March 2021|author=Piotr Kallalas|website=trojmiasto.pl|language=pl}}</ref> and even reached 90% for the [[Greater Poland Voivodeship]] on 17 March (week 11).<ref name="POL5">{{Cite web|title=Koronawirus. Brytyjski wariant w Wielkopolsce. Najnowsze dane|trans-title=Coronavirus. British variant in Greater Poland. Latest data|url=https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/poznan/koronawirus-brytyjski-wariant-w-wielkopolsce-najnowsze-dane/e8p00pr|date=17 March 2021|access-date=17 March 2021|website=Onet.pl|language=pl}}</ref>

In Finland, no statistical representative national survey had been conducted as of February 2021, as the national genome sequencing mainly targeted further analysis of COVID-19 positive samples from travellers and local outbreak clusters.<ref name="FIN1">{{cite web|url=https://thl.fi/documents/533976/5918974/Separat+%C3%B6versikt.+Uppf%C3%B6ljning+av+muterade+coronavirus+17.2.2021.pdf/2c117f25-1234-946e-e296-8faf1d223036?t=1614079899907|title=Uppföljning av hybridstrategin för covid-19-epidemin: Separat översikt, varierande tema (Uppföljning av muterade coronavirus 17.2.2021)|trans-title=Follow-up of the hybrid strategy for the COVID-19 epidemic: Separate overview, varying theme (Follow-up of mutated coronavirus 17.2.2021)|language=sv|author=Finish Institute for Health and Welfare, TLH|date=17 February 2021|access-date=2 March 2021|archive-date=14 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210714020823/https://thl.fi/documents/533976/5918974/Separat+%C3%B6versikt.+Uppf%C3%B6ljning+av+muterade+coronavirus+17.2.2021.pdf/2c117f25-1234-946e-e296-8faf1d223036?t=1614079899907|url-status=dead}}</ref> Helsinky University Hospital (HUS), operating in the [[List of hospitals in Finland#Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District|Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District]], found the variant in 10% of all samples collected randomly during a few days ahead of 14 February in the capitol region (also known as the [[Constituencies of Finland|Helsinky constituency and Uusimaa constituency]]). For the capitol region, the variant was modelled to become dominant (over 50%) in the second half of March (week 11-13).<ref name="FIN2">{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/uk_covid_variant_spreading_in_finland/11789703|title=UK Covid variant spreading in Finland|publisher=Yle|date=14 February 2021|access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref>

In [[Iceland]], the national authorities implemented a strict 3 test and quarantine regime for all persons entering the country from abroad, that so far successfully managed to prevent new infectious VOCs from gaining a foothold in the country. As of 4 March, a total of 90 travellers had tested positive for the Alpha variant at Iceland's borders and the 20 additional domestic cases were all closely connected to the border cases, with no cases related to community transmission.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icelandreview.com/society/covid-19-in-iceland-south-african-variant-detected-at-border/|title=COVID-19 in Iceland: South African Variant Detected at Border|author=Jelena Ćirić|publisher=Iceland Review|date=4 March 2021|access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref>

===Spread in North America===
In the United States, the variant first appeared late November 2020,<ref name="US1">{{Cite medRxiv |vauthors=Washington NL, Gangvarapu K, et al. |title=Genomic epidemiology identifies emergence and rapid transmission of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 in the United States |date=7 February 2021 |medrxiv=10.1101/2021.02.06.21251159v1}}</ref> grew from 1.2% in late January and became predominant around the end of March.<ref>{{Cite web|last=CDC|date=2020-03-28|title=COVID Data Tracker|url=https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker|access-date=2021-04-30|website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention|language=en}}</ref><ref name="CDC">{{cite journal |vauthors=Galloway SE, Paul P, et al. |title=Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 Lineage — United States, December 29, 2020–January 12, 2021 |journal=Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report |date=22 January 2021 |volume=70 |issue=3 |pages=95–99 |doi=10.15585/mmwr.mm7003e2 |pmid=33476315 |pmc=7821772 }}</ref> The spread of the variant was primarily concentrated in the upper [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]] of the country, especially the states of [[Michigan]] and [[Minnesota]], but it failed to spread in high concentrations to other parts of the country.<ref>{{cite news|title=More Covid Mysteries|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/30/briefing/coronavirus-delta-mysteries.html|website=New York Times|date=30 July 2021|language=en}}</ref>

In Canada, the variant first appeared in [[Ontario]] late December 2020.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7543498/uk-coronavirus-variant-first-cases-canada-ontario/ |title=Canada reports first cases of U.K. coronavirus variant. Here's what you need to know |last=Aziz |first=Saba |work=[[Global News]] |date=2020-12-27 |access-date=2021-02-14}}</ref> By 13 February, it had spread to all ten provinces.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/national/contagious-variant-of-covid-19-now-identified-in-all-10-provinces/wcm/f09cf0c8-4095-491f-8d16-1f58ee824406 |title=Contagious variant of COVID-19 now identified in all 10 provinces |last=Thompson |first=Nicole |work=[[The StarPhoenix]] |agency=[[The Canadian Press]] |date=2021-02-13 |access-date=2021-02-14}}</ref> Testing and confirmation of the Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7) in COVID-19-positive samples has been inconsistent across the country.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|title=Why Alberta has identified more variant cases but they're believed to be more prevalent in Ontario {{!}} CBC News|language=en-US|work=CBC|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-ontario-covid-19-variants-interprovincial-1.5960517|access-date=2021-04-01}}</ref> On 3 February, the province of [[Alberta]] was the first to screen all COVID-19 positive samples for variants of concern.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern|url=https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/wf/lab/if-lab-hp-bulletin-sars-cov-2-variants-of-concern.pdf|website=Alberta Health Services}}</ref> As of 23 March, the Alpha variant had been detected in 5812 cases, and was most prevalent in the province of [[Alberta]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Variants of Concern (VOC) in Canada|date=19 April 2020|url=https://health-infobase.canada.ca/covid-19/epidemiological-summary-covid-19-cases.html#VOC|access-date=24 March 2021|publisher=Government of Canada}}</ref> In Ontario, a combined RT-PCR (N501Y) and genome sequencing study found that all VOCs represented 4.4% of all COVID-19 positives on 20 January (week 3), and that Alpha comprised 99% of all those VOCs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/ncov/voc/2021/02/sars-cov-2-variants-point-prevalence.pdf?la=en|title=SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern: Results of Point Prevalence Study|publisher=Public Health Ontario|date=12 February 2021|access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref> [[Public Health Ontario]] laboratories found the variant in close to 7% of all COVID-19 positives in week 5, representing 97% (309/319) of all detected VOCs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/video/7644127/coronavirus-ontario-health-official-says-approximately-7-of-screened-cases-are-due-to-variants-in-province|title=Coronavirus: Ontario health official says approximately 7% of screened cases are due to variants in province|publisher=Global News|author=Barbara Yaffe|date=16 February 2021|access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref> Alpha became the dominant variant on or around 16 March; 53% of all positive cases were VOCs, and it was presumed 97% of VOCs were Alpha.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://covid19-sciencetable.ca/ontario-dashboard/|title=Ontario Dashboard: Unmasking the New Variants of Concern|publisher=Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table|date=16 March 2021|access-date=16 March 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210317110549/https://covid19-sciencetable.ca/ontario-dashboard/|archive-date=17 March 2021}}</ref> In [[Quebec]], where the variant was also widespread, it was expected to become dominant by late March or in April.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7645512/covid-19-quebec-coronavirus-variants-inspq/|title=More contagious COVID-19 variant could become dominant strain in Montreal by March: INSPQ|publisher=Global News|author=Kalina Laframboise|date=17 February 2021|access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref>

===Development===
<!--Table sort countries chronologically, as per the week when B117 was >50%-->
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:16px;"
! colspan="24" style="color:black; vertical-align:top; text-align:center;" class="table-no"| Development of the Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7)<br />{{small|(share of analysed SARS-CoV-2–positive tests in a given week)}}
|-
! scope="col" | Country
! scope="col" | Test
! scope="col" | {{small|2020 Week 42}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 43}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 44}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 45}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 46}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 47}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 48}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 49}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 50}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 51}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 52}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 53}}
! scope="col" | {{small|2021 Week 1}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 2}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 3}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 4}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 5}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 6}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 7}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 8}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 9}}
! scope="col" | {{small|Week 10}}
|-
| [[United Kingdom]]
| {{small|[[Whole genome sequencing|Seq.]]<ref name="UKversusSWI">{{Cite web |website=IBZ Shiny |date=January 2021|title=SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in Switzerland |url=https://ibz-shiny.ethz.ch/covidDashboard/variant-plot/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217105616/https://ibz-shiny.ethz.ch/covidDashboard/variant-plot/index.html |archive-date=2021-02-17 |url-status=deviated |access-date=18 February 2021}}</ref>}}
| data-sort-value="00.05"| 0.05%
| data-sort-value="00.35"| 0.35%
| data-sort-value="01.0" | 1.0%
| data-sort-value="02.7" | 2.7%
| data-sort-value="06.3" | 6.3%
| data-sort-value="10.2" | 10.2%
| data-sort-value="10.2" | 10.2%
| data-sort-value="13.9" | 13.9%
| data-sort-value="32.9" | 32.9%
| data-sort-value="45.7" | 45.7%
| data-sort-value="51.3" | '''51.3%'''
| data-sort-value="70.6" | '''70.6%'''
| data-sort-value="74.1" | '''74.1%'''
| data-sort-value="78.6" | '''78.6%'''
| data-sort-value="86.0" | '''86.0%'''
| data-sort-value="89.1" | '''89.1%'''
| data-sort-value="89.1" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="89.1" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="89.1" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="89.1" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="89.1" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="89.1" | '''–'''
|-
| ''[[England]]''
| {{small|SGTF<ref name="England3">{{Cite web|author=Public Health England|date=11 March 2021|title=Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in England: Technical briefing 7|work=Weekly number and proportion of England Pillar 2 COVID-19 cases with SGTF (Figure 10)|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/968581/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_7_England.pdf|access-date=12 March 2021}}</ref>*Seq.%<ref name="England2">{{Cite web|author=Public Health England|date=13 February 2021|title=Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in England: Technical briefing 6|work=Percentage of Pillar 2 Δ69-70 sequences that are VOC 202012/01 (Table 7), with a value of 100% since week 4 in 2021. |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/961299/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_6_England-1.pdf|access-date=14 February 2021}}</ref>}}<br />
{{small|Seq.<ref name="England">{{Cite web|author=Public Health England|date=2021-02-01|title=Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 variant: 202012/01. Technical briefing 5 data|work=Data report -"Figure 1", shows the weekly percentage of all genome sequenced VOC202012/01 by adding the SGTF+Kent share with the Not SGTF+Kent share. The report use the word "Kent" as the abbreviated nickname for VOC202012/01.|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investigation-of-novel-sars-cov-2-variant-variant-of-concern-20201201|access-date=2021-02-05}} {{OGL-attribution|version=3.0}}</ref>}}<br />{{small|SGTF{{nbsp}}rawdata{{efn|name=InfectionSurvey}}}}<br />{{small|SGTF{{nbsp}}model{{efn|name=InfectionSurvey}}}}
| data-sort-value="00.07"| 0.07%<!--2.452%*3%---><br />
{{small|(0.02%)<br />(N/A)<br />(N/A)}}
| data-sort-value="00.4" | 0.4%<!--2.712%*15%--><br />
{{small|(0.5%)<br />(N/A)<br />(N/A)}}
| data-sort-value="00.9" | 0.9%<!--3.244%*29%--><br />
{{small|(1.2%)<br />(N/A)<br />(N/A)}}
| data-sort-value="02.9" | 2.9%<!--4.598%*64%--><br />
{{small|(1.5%)<br />(N/A)<br />(N/A)}}
| data-sort-value="05.5" | 5.5%<!--6.738%*81%--><br />
{{small|(5.3%)<br />(N/A)<br />(N/A)}}
| data-sort-value="09.1" | 9.1%<!--10.33%*88%--><br />
{{small|(7.8%)<br />(15.2%)<br />(m:13.3%)}}
| data-sort-value="18.0" | 18.0%<!--19.36%*93%--><br />
{{small|(11.4%)<br />(24.3%)<br />(m:15.9%)}}
| data-sort-value="32.2" | 32.2%<!--33.95%*95%--><br />
{{small|(22.1%)<br />(36.8%)<br />(m:22.0%)}}
| data-sort-value="51.8" | '''51.8%'''<!--52.85%*98%--><br />
{{small|(38.1%)<br />(49.3%)<br />(m:32.1%)}}
| data-sort-value="63.7" | '''63.7%'''<!--64.35%*99%--><br />
{{small|'''(61.8%)<br />(60.7%)<br />(m:57.2%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="72.4" | '''72.4%'''<!--73.12%*99%--><br />
{{small|'''(62.1%)<br />(72.1%)<br />(m:68.9%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="77.9" | '''77.9%'''<!--78.10%*99.7%--><br />
{{small|'''(78.4%)<br />(75.0%)<br />(m:74.0%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="82.1" | '''82.1%'''<!--82.34%*99.7%--><br />
{{small|'''(76.7%)<br />(80.7%)<br />(m:78.3%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="87.5" | '''87.5%'''<!--87.58%*99.9%--><br />
{{small|'''(79.7%)<br />(83.3%)<br />(m:82.1%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="90.6" | '''90.6%'''<!--90.77%*99.8%--><br />
{{small|'''(–)<br />(88.2%)<br />(m:86.0%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="93.8" | '''93.8%'''<!--93.82%*100%--><br />
{{small|'''(–)<br />(87.7%)<br />(m:89.3%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="95.7" | '''95.7%'''<!--95.66%*100%--><br />
{{small|'''(–)<br />(93.4%)<br />(m:92.5%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="97.4" | '''97.4%'''<!--97.35%*100%--><br />
{{small|'''(–)<br />(95.3%)<br />(m:94.5%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="98.1" | '''98.1%'''<!--98.07%*100%--><br />
{{small|'''(–)<br />(97.0%)<br />(m:95.4%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="98.6" | '''98.6%'''<!--98.61%*100%--><br />
{{small|'''(–)<br />(95.6%)<br />(m:95.5%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="98.7" | '''98.7%'''<!--98.74%*100%--><br />
{{small|'''(–)<br />(94.2%)<br />(m:95.2%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="98.7" | '''–'''<!--%*100%--><br />
{{small|'''(–)<br />(96.1%)<br />(m:94.1%)'''}}
|-
| ''[[Northern Ireland]]''
| {{small|SGTF{{nbsp}}rawdata{{efn|name=InfectionSurvey}}}}<br />{{small|SGTF{{nbsp}}model{{efn|name=InfectionSurvey}}}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="17.9" | 17.9%<br />{{small|(m:14.0%)}}
| data-sort-value="07.4" | 7.4%<br />{{small|(m:14.9%)}}
| data-sort-value="37.5" | 37.5%<br />{{small|(m:16.3%)}}
| data-sort-value="23.0" | 23.0%<br />{{small|(m:18.5%)}}
| data-sort-value="50.0" | 50.0%<br />{{small|(m:36.1%)}}
| data-sort-value="25.0" | 25.0%<br />{{small|(m:42.1%)}}
| data-sort-value="58.8" | '''58.8%'''<br />{{small|(m:44.7%)}}
| data-sort-value="45.2" | 45.2%<br />{{small|'''(m:52.7%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="71.4" | '''71.4%<br />{{small|(m:67.0%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="78.2" | '''78.2%<br />{{small|(m:74.0%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="72.4" | '''72.4%<br />{{small|(m:81.4%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="95.7" | '''95.7%<br />{{small|(m:86.5%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="88.9" | '''88.9%<br />{{small|(m:90.5%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="92.2" | '''92.2%<br />{{small|(m:92.4%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="100.0" | '''100.0%<br />{{small|(m:93.0%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="86.2" | '''86.2%<br />{{small|(m:92.6%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="100.0" | '''100.0%<br />{{small|(m:91.1%)}}'''
|-
| ''[[Scotland]]''
| {{small|SGTF{{nbsp}}rawdata{{efn|name=InfectionSurvey|The weekly UK infection survey lists for each country in Great Britain a set of raw data and average-smoothed modelled data from SGTF analysed PCR tests collected from private households (excl. tests from  hospitals, care centres and public institutions). Raw data as well as model data for Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland must be treated with caution due to a small number of collected samples, resulting in great data uncertainty.<ref name="InfectionSurvey">{{Cite web|author=Public Health England|date=19 March 2021|title=Dataset: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey|work=Table 6A: Percentage and Cycle threshold (Ct) values of COVID-19 cases, UK. Table 6C: New UK variant compatible, not compatible with new UK variant and virus too low for variant to be identifiable positives modelled daily estimates, UK.|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/datasets/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveydata|access-date=19 March 2021}} {{OGL-attribution|version=3.0}}</ref><ref name="ISreport">{{Cite web|author=Public Health England|date=19 March 2021|title=Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, UK: 19 March 2021|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/19march2021#percentage-of-those-testing-positive-compatible-with-the-uk-variant|access-date=19 March 2021}} {{OGL-attribution|version=3.0}}</ref>
* All PCR tests were analysed for 3 genes present in the coronavirus: N protein, S protein and ORF1ab (see Table 6A in the Infection Survey). Each PCR test can have any one, any two or all three genes detected. Coronavirus positives are those where one or more of these genes is detected in the swab (other than tests that are only positive on the S-gene which is not considered a reliable indicator of the virus if found on its own). The new B.1.1.7 variant of COVID-19 has genetic changes in the S gene, that results in the S-gene no longer being detected in the current test, meaning that it will only be positive on the ORF1ab and the N gene. The survey uses the terms ''"New UK variant compatible"'' for ORF1ab + N protein gene positives, ''"not compatible with new UK variant"'' for ORF1ab + N protein + S protein gene positive, and ''"virus too low to be identifiable"'' for all other gene patterns (a reasonable definition given that all samples taken from the first phase of the COVID-19 disease where virus exist by identifiable quantity, either will be positive by "ORF1ab+N" or "ORF1ab+N+S"). However, further uncertainty exists given that not all "New UK variant compatible" SGTF cases (positive on ORF1ab and N-genes, but not the S-gene) will be the new UK variant - due to some other competing variants also delivering this same test pattern; and prior to mid-November 2020 the data should not be read as being an indicator of the variant at all.<ref name="InfectionSurvey"/><ref name="ISreport"/>
* The weekly B.1.1.7 variant share raw data is calculated from Table 6A, by dividing the "ORF1ab+N" percentage with the percentage sum of "ORF1ab+N" and "ORF1ab+N+S". Table 6C utilized the raw data from table 6A as input for calculation of some modelled (average-smoothed and weighted) daily estimated figures for the respective percentage of the population being coronavirus positive by either the ''"New UK variant compatible virus"'', or a ''"Not compatible with new UK variant virus"'' or a ''"virus too low to be identifiable"'', with data from earlier dates in 2020 also being available when downloading the published earlier editions of the Infection Survey. The modelled weekly average value for the Alpha variant, noted in this table as the value (m: %), is calculated as the average for the listed seven days in each week of ''"New UK variant compatible percentage"'' divided by the sum of ''"New UK variant compatible percentage"'' and ''"Not compatible with new UK variant percentage"''.<ref name="InfectionSurvey"/><ref name="ISreport"/>}}}}<br />{{small|SGTF{{nbsp}}model{{efn|name=InfectionSurvey}}}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="09.5" | 9.5%<br />{{small|(m:5.8%)}}
| data-sort-value="09.7" | 9.7%<br />{{small|(m:6.7%)}}
| data-sort-value="10.4" | 10.4%<br />{{small|(m:7.7%)}}
| data-sort-value="11.7" | 11.7%<br />{{small|(m:10.2%)}}
| data-sort-value="51.4" | 51.4%<br />{{small|(m:26.2%)}}
| data-sort-value="40.0" | 40.0%<br />{{small|(m:39.5%)}}
| data-sort-value="35.8" | 35.8%<br />{{small|(m:43.9%)}}
| data-sort-value="64.1" | '''64.1%'''<br />{{small|(m:49.8%)}}
| data-sort-value="67.2" | '''67.2%<br />{{small|(m:64.2%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="63.3" | '''63.3%<br />{{small|(m:65.0%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="69.2" | '''69.2%<br />{{small|(m:70.0%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="70.6" | '''70.6%<br />{{small|(m:77.3%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="93.9" | '''93.9%<br />{{small|(m:84.7%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="82.0" | '''82.0%<br />{{small|(m:90.0%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="100.0" | '''100.0%<br />{{small|(m:93.7%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="93.0" | '''93.0%<br />{{small|(m:95.8%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="100.0" | '''100.0%<br />{{small|(m:96.9%)}}'''
|-
| ''[[Wales]]''
| {{small|SGTF{{nbsp}}rawdata{{efn|name=InfectionSurvey}}}}<br />{{small|SGTF{{nbsp}}model{{efn|name=InfectionSurvey}}}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | {{small|N/A}}
| data-sort-value="27.9" | 27.9%<br />{{small|(m:18.1%)}}
| data-sort-value="08.3" | 8.3%<br />{{small|(m:16.0%)}}
| data-sort-value="10.7" | 10.7%<br />{{small|(m:13.3%)}}
| data-sort-value="26.3" | 26.3%<br />{{small|(m:12.1%)}}
| data-sort-value="13.4" | 13.4%<br />{{small|(m:15.0%)}}
| data-sort-value="15.9" | 15.9%<br />{{small|(m:14.7%)}}
| data-sort-value="19.8" | 19.8%<br />{{small|(m:20.4%)}}
| data-sort-value="54.4" | '''54.4%'''<br />{{small|(m:34.8%)}}
| data-sort-value="61.5" | '''61.5%<br />{{small|(m:59.6%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="69.0" | '''69.0%<br />{{small|(m:65.0%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="68.1" | '''68.1%<br />{{small|(m:68.7%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="77.0" | '''77.0%<br />{{small|(m:73.4%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="71.8" | '''71.8%<br />{{small|(m:76.6%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="75.8" | '''75.8%<br />{{small|(m:78.5%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="87.9" | '''87.9%<br />{{small|(m:78.9%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="80.0" | '''80.0%<br />{{small|(m:77.2%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="69.9" | '''69.9%<br />{{small|(m:73.3%)}}'''
|-
| [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]<!--Observation as of 18 March 2021: Ireland stopped to report B117 data after reaching 90.8% in week 7!-->
| {{small|SGTF{{nbsp}}rawdata<ref name="IE">{{Cite web|url=https://assets.gov.ie/125107/a6254f8f-4957-41bf-ba5f-26a6af3a954c.pdf|title=NPHET COVID-19 Update – 25 February 2021|author=[[National Public Health Emergency Team (2020)|National Public Health Emergency Team]], [[Department of Health (Ireland)|Department of Health]]|work=New (B.1.1.7) variant - S gene target failure (p{{nbsp}}31)|date=25 February 2021|access-date=4 March 2021}}</ref>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="01.9" | 1.9%<!--1/52--><br />{{small|(few{{nbsp}}data)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | 0.0%<!--0/35--><br />{{small|(few{{nbsp}}data)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | 0.0%<!--0/32--><br />{{small|(few{{nbsp}}data)}}
| data-sort-value="06.1" | 6.1%<!--3/49--><br />{{small|(few{{nbsp}}data)}}
| data-sort-value="02.2" | 2.2%<!--1/46--><br />{{small|(few{{nbsp}}data)}}
| data-sort-value="01.6" | 1.6%<!--2/128--><br />{{small|(few{{nbsp}}data)}}
| data-sort-value="07.5" | 7.5%<!--6/80-->
| data-sort-value="16.3" | 16.3%<!--29/178-->
| data-sort-value="26.2" | 26.2%<!--111/424-->
| data-sort-value="46.3" | 46.3%<!--87/188-->
| data-sort-value="57.7" | '''57.7%'''<!--90/156-->
| data-sort-value="69.5" | '''69.5%'''<!--330/475-->
| data-sort-value="75.0" | '''75.0%'''<!--833/1111-->
| data-sort-value="90.1" | '''90.1%'''<!--82/91-->
| data-sort-value="88.6" | '''88.6%'''<!--762/860-->
| data-sort-value="90.8" | '''90.8%'''<!--911/1003-->
| data-sort-value="90.8" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="90.8" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="90.8" | '''–'''
|-
| [[Bulgaria]]
| {{small|Seq.<ref name="BUL">{{cite web|url=https://www.ncipd.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=546:ncov-012020&lang=bg|title=(09.03.2021 Г.) ЕПИДЕМИЯ ОТ ОСТЪР РЕСПИРАТОРЕН СИНДРОМ, СВЪРЗАНА С НОВ КОРОНАВИРУС SARS-COV-2, УХАН, КИТАЙ: АКТУАЛНА ИНФОРМАЦИЯ|trans-title=(09.03.2021) Acute Respiratory Syndrome Epidemic Associated With New Coronavirus SARS-COV-2, Wuhan, China: Actual Information|language=bg|date=3 March 2021|access-date=10 March 2021}}</ref>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="52.1" | '''52.1%'''<!--25/48-->
| data-sort-value="52.1" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="70.8" | '''70.8%'''<!--68/96-->
| data-sort-value="70.8" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="70.8" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="73.4" | '''73.4%'''
| data-sort-value="73.4" | '''–'''
|-
| [[Israel]]
| {{small|SGTF w.51+1<br />Seq. after w.1}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="03.5" | 3{{ndash}}4%<br />{{small|(Dec.15)<ref name="ISR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.calcalist.co.il/local/articles/0,7340,L-3885915,00.html|title=המוטציה הבריטית נמצאת ב-10% עד 20% ממאומתי הקורונה|trans-title=The British mutation is 10% to 20% of the corona nationwide|author=Adrian Pilot|publisher=Calcalist|language=he|date=January 5, 2021|access-date=February 26, 2021}}</ref>}}
| data-sort-value="03.5" | –
| data-sort-value="03.5" | –
| data-sort-value="15.0" | 10{{ndash}}20%<br />{{small|(Jan.5)<ref name="ISR1"/>}}
| data-sort-value="15.0" | 10{{ndash}}20%<br />{{small|(Jan.11)<ref name="ISR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/coronavirus-live-israelis-begin-receiving-second-vaccine-dose-1.9438120|title=Coronavirus Live: Israel Sees Drop in Infections 14 Days After First Vaccine Dose (4:50 P.M. Mutation constitutes up to 20% of Israel's recent COVID-19 infections)|author=Ido Efreti|publisher=Haaretz|date=January 12, 2021|access-date=February 26, 2021}}</ref>}}
| data-sort-value="35.0" | 30{{ndash}}40%<br />{{small|(Jan.19)<ref name="ISR3">{{Cite web|title=Senior health official: UK virus variant putting pregnant women at greater risk|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/senior-health-official-uk-virus-variant-putting-pregnant-women-at-greater-risk/|date=2021-01-21|access-date=2021-01-23|website=www.timesofisrael.com|language=en-US}}</ref>}}
| data-sort-value="45.0" | 40{{ndash}}50%<br />{{small|(Jan.25)<ref name="ISR4">{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/mutated-covid-19-strains-are-stymieing-efforts-to-curb-spread-virus-czar-says/|title=Health officials: UK variant running wild, hitting children at a worrying rate|author=Stuart Winer|publisher=Times of Israel|date=January 25, 2021|access-date=February 25, 2021}}</ref>}}
| data-sort-value="70.0" | '''~70%'''<br />{{small|(Feb.2)<ref name="ISR5">{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/we-will-have-to-live-with-covid-19-for-a-long-time-says-israeli-expert/|title=We will have to live with COVID-19 for a long time, says Israeli expert|author=Toi Staff|publisher=Times of Israel|date=February 2, 2021|access-date=February 26, 2021}}</ref>}}<!--'''70{{ndash}}80%'''<br />{{small|(Feb.6)<ref name="IL">{{Cite web|author=Israel National Data and Information Center for the war on COVID-19|date=6 February 2021|title=הסרת המגבלות ותפוצתו הנרחבת של הווריאנט הבריטי צפויות להוביל בשבועות הקרובים לעליה חדה בתחלואה שכבר עתה גבוהה מאוד; בשל כך, נדרשות יותר מאי פעם אחריות אישית והקפדה מצד הציבור|language=he|url=https://www.gov.il/he/departments/publications/reports/research-report-n219-post-lockdown-guidelines|access-date=25 February 2021}}</ref>}}-->
| data-sort-value="80.0" | '''~80%'''<br />{{small|(Feb.9)<ref name="ISR6">{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-israel-results-ins/vaccine-vs-variant-promising-data-in-israels-race-to-defeat-pandemic-idUSKBN2AA0MS|title=Vaccine vs variant: Promising data in Israel's race to defeat pandemic|author=Maayan Lubell |author2=Ari Rabinovitch |publisher=Reuters|date=February 9, 2021|access-date=February 26, 2021}}</ref>}}
| data-sort-value="90.0" | '''~90%'''<br />{{small|(Feb.16)<ref name="ISR7">{{Cite web|author=[[Ynet]]|date=16 February 2021|title=Senior health official: 90% of COVID-19 cases caused by UK variant|url=https://www.ynetnews.com/article/SyodSltbd|access-date=25 February 2021}}</ref>}}
| data-sort-value="90.0" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="90.0" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="90.0" | '''–'''
|-
| [[Slovakia]]
| {{small|PCR (SGTF+ΔY144) <ref name="SVK"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="74.0" |'''~74%'''<br />{{small|(Feb.3)}}
| data-sort-value="74.0" |'''–'''
| data-sort-value="72.0" |'''~72%'''<br />{{small|(Feb.15)}}
| data-sort-value="72.0" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="90.0" | '''~90%'''<br />{{small|(Mar.3)}}
| data-sort-value="90.0" | '''–'''
|-
| [[Luxembourg]]
| {{small|Seq.<ref name="LUX"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.3" | 0.3%
| data-sort-value="00.9" | 0.9%
| data-sort-value="04.2" | 4.2%
| data-sort-value="08.7" | 8.7%
| data-sort-value="15.5" | 15.5%
| data-sort-value="17.0" | 16.9%
| data-sort-value="36.2" | 36.2%
| data-sort-value="53.0" |'''53.0%'''
| data-sort-value="54.1" |'''54.1%'''
| data-sort-value="53.8" | '''53.8%'''
| data-sort-value="63.7" | '''63.7%'''
| data-sort-value="62.8" | '''62.8%'''
| data-sort-value="62.8" | '''–'''
|-
| [[Denmark]]
| {{small|Seq.<ref name=":1"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.3" | 0.3%
| data-sort-value="00.2" | 0.2%
| data-sort-value="00.4" | 0.4%
| data-sort-value="00.4" | 0.4%
| data-sort-value="00.4" | 0.4%
| data-sort-value="00.9" | 0.8%
| data-sort-value="01.8" | 1.8%
| data-sort-value="01.9" | 1.9%
| data-sort-value="03.5" | 3.5%
| data-sort-value="07.0" | 7.0%
| data-sort-value="13.1" | 13.1%
| data-sort-value="19.6" | 19.6%
| data-sort-value="29.6" | 29.6%
| data-sort-value="47.0" | 47.0%
| data-sort-value="65.9" | '''65.9%'''
| data-sort-value="75.3" | '''75.3%'''
| data-sort-value="85.1" | '''85.1%'''
| data-sort-value="92.7" | '''92.7%'''
|-
| [[Netherlands]]
| {{small|Seq.<ref name="DutchData"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="01.3" | 1.3%<!--1/77-->
| data-sort-value="00.8" | 0.8%<!--1/118-->
| data-sort-value="00.5" | 0.5%<!--1/190-->
| data-sort-value="02.1" | 2.1%<!--5/238-->
| data-sort-value="04.4" | 4.4%<!--9/204-->
| data-sort-value="09.6" | 9.6%<!--32/334-->
| data-sort-value="15.9" | 15.9%<!--43/270-->
| data-sort-value="22.7" | 22.7%<!--131/576-->
| data-sort-value="24.7" | 24.7%<!--194/786-->
| data-sort-value="31.0" | 31.0.%<!--252/812-->
| data-sort-value="40.3" | 40.3%<!--355/881-->
| data-sort-value="61.3" | '''61.3%'''<!--497/811-->
| data-sort-value="75.2" | '''75.2%'''<!--442/588-->
| data-sort-value="82.0" | '''82.0%'''<!--387/472-->
| data-sort-value="82.0" | '''–'''
|-
| [[Norway]]
| {{small|PCR{{nbsp}}proxy{{nbsp}}and{{nbsp}}Seq.<ref name="NOR5"/><br />Seq.<ref name="NOR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.fhi.no/contentassets/8a971e7b0a3c4a06bdbf381ab52e6157/vedlegg/2021/ukerapport-for-uke-7-15.02---21.02.21---korr.pdf|title=COVID-19 Ukerapport – uke 7, onsdag 24. februar 2021|trans-title=COVID-19 weekly report for week 7 (wednesday 24 February 2021)|language=no|author=Folkehelseinstituttet|date=24 February 2021|access-date=28 February 2021|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506155030/https://www.fhi.no/contentassets/8a971e7b0a3c4a06bdbf381ab52e6157/vedlegg/2021/ukerapport-for-uke-7-15.02---21.02.21---korr.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="NOR2"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | 0.0%<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="02.0" | 2.0%<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | 0.0%<br />{{small|(0.0%)}}
| data-sort-value="04.9" | 4.9%<br />{{small|(0.0%)}}
| data-sort-value="08.9" | 8.9%<br />{{small|(7.2%)}}
| data-sort-value="06.0" | 6.0%<br />{{small|(2.9%)}}
| data-sort-value="14.9" | 14.9%<br />{{small|(1.3%)}}
| data-sort-value="18.9" | 18.9%<br />{{small|(5.7%)}}
| data-sort-value="19.5" | 19.5%<br />{{small|(11.6%)}}
| data-sort-value="15.2" | 15.2%<br />{{small|(9.3%)}}
| data-sort-value="19.8" | 19.8%<br />{{small|(20.1%)}}
| data-sort-value="34.1" | 34.1%<br />{{small|(30.3%)}}
| data-sort-value="43.6" | 43.6%<!--447/1026--><br />{{small|(40.8%)}}
| data-sort-value="60.0" | '''60.0%<!--851/1418--><br />{{small|(58.4%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="71.8" | '''71.8%<!--1671–2328--><br />{{small|(65.0%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="76.7" | '''76.7%<!--2532–3301--><br />{{small|(–)}}'''
| data-sort-value="72.7" | '''72.7%<!--1213–1669--><br />{{small|(–)}}'''
|-
| [[Italy]]
| {{small|Seq.%<ref name="ITA1"/><ref name="ITA2"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="17.8" | 17.8%
| data-sort-value="17.8" | –
| data-sort-value="54.0" | '''54.0%'''<!--658/1239-->
| data-sort-value="54.0" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="54.0" | '''–'''
| data-sort-value="54.0" | '''–'''
|-
| [[France]]
| {{small|PCR{{nbsp}}proxy<br />Seq.<br />SGTF*Seq.%}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="03.3" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(3.3%)<!--552/11916*70.3%--><ref name="France"/>}}
| data-sort-value="03.3" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="03.3" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="13.3" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(13.3%)<!--475/3561--><ref name="France6"/>}}
| data-sort-value="13.3" | –<br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="36.1" | 36.1%<ref name="France3">{{cite web|url=https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/content/download/321032/2928954|title=COVID-19: Point épidémiologi que hebdomadaire du 18 février 2021|trans-title=COVID-19: Weekly epidemiological update of February 18, 2021|language=fr|author=Santé Publique France|date=18 February 2021|access-date=20 February 2021}}</ref><br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}
| data-sort-value="49.3" | 49.3%<ref name="France4">{{cite web|url=https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/content/download/323006/2936518|title=COVID-19: Point épidémiologi que hebdomadaire du 25 février 2021|trans-title=COVID-19: Weekly epidemiological update of February 25, 2021|language=fr|author=Santé Publique France|date=25 February 2021|access-date=26 February 2021}}</ref><br />{{small|(45.8%)<!-- 0.395*2296/(0.862*2296)--><ref name="France4"/><br />(44.3%)<!--((0.39*699)/(699*0.88))--><ref name="France6"/>}}
| data-sort-value="59.5" | '''59.5%<ref name="France5">{{cite web|url=https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/content/download/324805/2944195|title=COVID-19: Point épidémiologi que hebdomadaire du 4 mars 2021|trans-title=COVID-19: Weekly epidemiological update of 4 March 2021|language=fr|author=Santé Publique France|date=4 March 2021|access-date=5 March 2021}}</ref><br />{{small|(56.4%)<!--758/(1530-185)--><ref name="France5"/><br />(–)}}'''
| data-sort-value="65.8" | '''65.8%<ref name="France6"/><br />{{small|(69.0%)<!--The 63.2% share is equal to (0.632*1572)/(1572*0.916)=69.0% of all interpretable results--><ref name="France7"/><br />(–)}}'''
| data-sort-value="71.9" | '''71.9%<ref name="France7">{{cite web|url=https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/content/download/328478/2960046|title=COVID-19: Point épidémiologi que hebdomadaire du 18 mars 2021|trans-title=COVID-19: Weekly epidemiological update of 18 March 2021|language=fr|author=Santé Publique France|date=18 March 2021|access-date=21 March 2021}}</ref><br />{{small|(–)<br />(–)}}'''
|-
|[[Switzerland]]
| {{small|Seq.<ref name="Switzerland"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" |–
| data-sort-value="00.0" |–
| data-sort-value="00.0" |–
| data-sort-value="00.0" |–
| data-sort-value="00.0" |–
| data-sort-value="00.0" |–
| data-sort-value="00.0" |–
| data-sort-value="00.0" |–
| data-sort-value="00.05"|0.05%
| data-sort-value="00.4" |0.4%
| data-sort-value="00.8" |0.8%
| data-sort-value="02.6" |2.6%
| data-sort-value="04.9" |4.9%
| data-sort-value="09.2" |9.2%
| data-sort-value="16.5" |16.5%
| data-sort-value="26.0" |26.0%
| data-sort-value="32.4" |32.4%
| data-sort-value="47.0" |47.0%
| data-sort-value="58.2" | '''58.2%'''
| data-sort-value="71.1" | '''71.1%'''
| data-sort-value="71.1" | '''–'''
|-
|[[Austria]]
| {{small|PCR(N501Y)*Seq.%<ref name="Austria">{{cite web|url=https://www.ages.at/themen/krankheitserreger/coronavirus/sars-cov-2-varianten-in-oesterreich/|title=SARS-CoV-2-Varianten in Österreich|language=de|publisher=Österreichische Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit GmbH (AGES)|date=19 March 2021|access-date=19 March 2021}}</ref>}}<br />{{small|Seq.B117+unseq.N501Y<ref name="Austria"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="07.2" | 7.2%{{efn|name=Austria}}<br />{{small|(9.6%)}}
| data-sort-value="17.4" | 17.4%{{efn|name=Austria}}<br />{{small|(23.8%)}}
| data-sort-value="14.7" | 14.7%{{efn|name=Austria}}<br />{{small|(19.6%)}}
| data-sort-value="22.5" | 22.5%{{efn|name=Austria}}<br />{{small|(28.6%)}}
| data-sort-value="28.7" | 28.7%{{efn|name=Austria}}<br />{{small|(37.2%)}}
| data-sort-value="24.0" | 24.0%{{efn|name=Austria}}<br />{{small|(45.4%)}}
| data-sort-value="35.1" | 35.1%{{efn|name=Austria}}<br />{{small|'''(58.1%)'''}}
| data-sort-value="61.3" | '''61.3%{{efn|name=Austria}}<br />{{small|(65.3%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="61.2" | '''61.2%{{efn|name=Austria}}<br />{{small|(68.0%)}}'''
| data-sort-value="48.3" | 48.3%{{efn|name=Austria|In [[Austria]], the listed B.1.1.7 variant shares represent the percentage of all positive COVID-19 tests being confirmed to be B.1.1.7 by genome sequencing. However, many N501Y positive RT-PCR tests were not variant determined further by genome sequencing, and likely would have returned a B.1.1.7 positive result for the vast majority of such tests if the genome sequencing analysis had been done. If all N501Y positive tests had been analysed further by genome sequencing, then the listed weekly B.1.1.7 shares could have been uptil: 9.6% for week 1 {{small|(2.4% higher)}}, 23.8% for week 2 {{small|(6.4% higher)}}, 19.6% for week 3 {{small|(4.9% higher)}}, 28.6% for week 4 {{small|(6.1% higher)}}, 37.2% for week 5 {{small|(8.5% higher)}}, 45.4% for week 6 {{small|(21.4% higher)}}, 58.1% for week 7 {{small|(23.0% higher)}}, 65.3% for week 8 {{small|(4.0% higher)}}, 68.0% for week 9 {{small|(6.8% higher)}} and 73.7% for week 10 {{small|(25.4% higher)}}.<ref name="Austria"/>}}<br />'''{{small|(73.7%)}}'''
|-
|[[Belgium]]
| {{small|Seq.<ref name="BEL1"/><ref name="BEL2"/>}}<br />{{small|SGTF<ref name="BEL1"/><ref name="BEL2"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" |0.0%<!--0/33--><br />{{small|(<5%)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" |0.0%<!--0/1--><br />{{small|(<5%)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" |0.0%<!--0/92--><br />{{small|(<5%)}}
| data-sort-value="13.6" |13.6%<!--3/22--><br />{{small|(<5%)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" |0.0%<!--0/80--><br />{{small|(<5%)}}
| data-sort-value="07.1" |7.1%<br />{{small|(7.2%)}}
| data-sort-value="07.7" |7.7%<br />{{small|(6.9%)}}
| data-sort-value="13.4" |13.4%<br />{{small|(16.6%)}}
| data-sort-value="23.3" |23.3%<br />{{small|(19.5%)}}
| data-sort-value="39.4" |39.4%<br />{{small|(22.4%)}}
| data-sort-value="43.2" |43.2%<br />{{small|(27.9%)}}
| data-sort-value="51.5" |'''51.5%'''<br />{{small|(34.4%)}}
| data-sort-value="57.6" |'''57.6%'''<br />{{small|(45.8%)}}
| data-sort-value="66.5" |'''66.5%'''<br />{{small|(46.3%)}}
| data-sort-value="79.3" |'''79.3%<br />{{small|(54.8%)}}'''
|-
| [[Portugal]]
| {{small|SGTFL*Seq.%<ref name="PT-virological"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="01.7" | 1.7%<!--1.85*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="00.8" | 0.8%<!--0.88*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="01.2" | 1.2%<!--1.35*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="01.7" | 1.7%<!--1.87*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="02.9" | 2.9%<!--3.18*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="06.8" | 6.8%<!--7.38*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="12.3" | 12.3%<!--13.38*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="22.7" | 22.7%<!--24.74*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="33.5" | 33.5%<!--36.47*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="39.2" | 39.2%<!--42.71*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="40.9" | 40.9%<!--44.6*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="45.7" | 45.7%<!--49.8*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="50.5" | '''50.5%'''<!--55.0*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="56.0" | '''56.0%'''<!--61*91.8%-->
| data-sort-value="64.3" | '''64.3%'''<!--70*91.8%-->
|-
| [[Sweden]]
| {{small|Seq. all N501Y+A570D pos. tests<ref name="Sweden3">{{cite web|url=https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/smittskydd-beredskap/utbrott/aktuella-utbrott/covid-19/statistik-och-analyser/sars-cov-2-virusvarianter-av-sarskild-betydelse/|title=Statistik om SARS-CoV-2 virusvarianter av särskild betydelse|trans-title=Statistics on SARS-CoV-2 Variants Of Concern|language=sv|publisher=Folkhälsomyndigheten|date=18 March 2021|access-date=18 March 2021}}</ref>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="10.8" | 10.8%<!--243/2244--><br />{{small|(av. for 5 out of 21 regions)}}{{efn|name=Sweden1|In Sweden, a study comprising 11% of all SARS-CoV-2–positive PCR samples nationwide for week 4 found the B.1.1.7 share to be 10.8% (243/2244). Samples were, however, only collected from five southern regions ([[Skåne County|Skåne]], [[Västra Götaland County|Västra Götaland]], [[Västmanland County|Västmanland]], [[Gävleborg County|Gävleborg]] and [[Örebro County|Örebro]]), which were not considered to be statistically representative for the demography and geography of Sweden as a whole. The national authorities plan to expand the weekly study to cover more regions for the following weeks in February 2021.<ref name="Sweden1">{{cite web|url=https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/nyheter-och-press/nyhetsarkiv/2021/februari/stickprov-tyder-pa-okad-spridning-av-den-brittiska-virusvarianten-i-sverige/|title=Stickprov tyder på ökad spridning av den brittiska virusvarianten i Sverige|trans-title=Random samples indicate an increased spread of the British virus variant in Sweden|language=sv|publisher=[[Folkhälsomyndigheten]]|date=February 2, 2021|access-date=February 2, 2021|archive-date=12 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512055059/https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/nyheter-och-press/nyhetsarkiv/2021/februari/stickprov-tyder-pa-okad-spridning-av-den-brittiska-virusvarianten-i-sverige/}}</ref><ref name="Sweden2"/>}}
| data-sort-value="15.1" | 15.1%<!--488/3224--><br />{{small|(av. for 5 out of 21 regions)}}{{efn|name=Sweden2|In Sweden, a study comprising 16% of all  SARS-CoV-2–positive PCR samples nationwide for week 5 found the B.1.1.7 share to be 15.1% (488/3224). Samples were, however, only collected from five southern regions ([[Skåne County|Skåne]], [[Västra Götaland County|Västra Götaland]], [[Västmanland County|Västmanland]], [[Gävleborg County|Gävleborg]] and [[Örebro County|Örebro]]), which were not considered to be statistically representative for the demography and geography of Sweden as a whole. The national authorities also calculated a two-week average (week 5+6) for 19 out of 21 regions, and plan to expand the weekly study to cover more regions for the following weeks in February 2021.<ref name="Sweden2"/>}}
| data-sort-value="27.3" | 27.3%<!--1021–3742--><br />{{small|(av. for 5 out of 21 regions)}}{{efn|name=Sweden3|In Sweden, a study comprising 18% of all  SARS-CoV-2–positive PCR samples nationwide for week 6 found the B.1.1.7 share to be 27.3% (1021/3742). Samples were, however, only collected from five southern regions ([[Skåne County|Skåne]], [[Västra Götaland County|Västra Götaland]], [[Västmanland County|Västmanland]], [[Gävleborg County|Gävleborg]] and [[Örebro County|Örebro]]), which were not considered to be statistically representative for the demography and geography of Sweden as a whole. The national authorities also calculated a two-week average (week 5+6) for 19 out of 21 regions, and plan to expand the weekly study to cover more regions for the following weeks in February 2021.<ref name="Sweden2"/>}}
| data-sort-value="30.4" | 30.4%<!--3316/10910--><br />{{small|(av. for 19 out of 21 regions)}}{{efn|name=Sweden4|In Sweden, a study comprising 47.8% of all SARS-CoV-2–positive PCR samples nationwide for week 7, collected samples from 19 out of 21 regions (all except [[Gotland County|Gotland]] and [[Västerbotten County|Västerbotten]]), and found the B.1.1.7 share to be 30.4% (3316/10910) as a simple overall average (with a potential geographically skewed misrepresentation in the calculation as no data weights were used to normalize/correct each regions share of the overall sample).<ref name="Sweden3"/>}}
| data-sort-value="41.5" | 41.5%<!--4643/11191--><br />{{small|(av. for 19 out of 21 regions)}}{{efn|name=Sweden5|In Sweden, a study comprising 42.2% of all SARS-CoV-2–positive PCR samples nationwide for week 8, collected samples from 19 out of 21 regions (all except [[Gotland County|Gotland]] and [[Västerbotten County|Västerbotten]]), and found the B.1.1.7 share to be 41.5% (4643/11191) as a simple overall average (with a potential geographically skewed misrepresentation in the calculation as no data weights were used to normalize/correct each regions share of the overall sample).<ref name="Sweden3"/>}}
| data-sort-value="56.4" | '''56.4%'''<!--5939/10528--><br />{{small|(av. for 17 out of 21 regions)}}{{efn|name=Sweden6|In Sweden, a study comprising 37.8% of all SARS-CoV-2–positive PCR samples nationwide for week 9, collected samples from 17 out of 21 regions (all except [[Gotland County|Gotland]], [[Västerbotten County|Västerbotten]], [[Norrbotten County|Norrbotten]] and [[Östergötland County|Östergötland]]), and found the B.1.1.7 share to be 56.4% (5939/10528) as a simple overall average (with a potential geographically skewed misrepresentation in the calculation as no data weights were used to normalize/correct each regions share of the overall sample).<ref name="Sweden3"/>}}
| data-sort-value="71.3" | '''71.3%'''<!--8850/12417--><br />{{small|(av. for 18 out of 21 regions)}}{{efn|name=Sweden7|In Sweden, a study comprising 43.1% of all SARS-CoV-2–positive PCR samples nationwide for week 10, collected samples from 18 out of 21 regions (all except [[Gotland County|Gotland]], [[Västerbotten County|Västerbotten]] and [[Östergötland County|Östergötland]]), and found the B.1.1.7 share to be 71.3% (8850/12417) as a simple overall average (with a potential geographically skewed misrepresentation in the calculation as no data weights were used to normalize/correct each regions share of the overall sample).<ref name="Sweden3"/>}}
|-
|[[Germany]]
| {{small|PCR{{nbsp}}proxy{{nbsp}}and{{nbsp}}Seq.<ref name="GER1"/>}}<br />{{small|Seq.<ref name="GER1">{{Cite web|title=Aktualisierter Bericht zu Virusvarianten von SARS-CoV-2 in Deutschland, insbesondere zur Variant of Concern (VOC) B.1.1.7: Stand: 17. März 2021|trans-title=Updated report on virus variants of SARS-CoV-2 in Germany, in particular on Variant of Concern (VOC) B.1.1.7: As of 17 March 2021|url=https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/DESH/Bericht_VOC_2021-03-17.pdf?__blob=publicationFile|language=de|publisher=Robert Koch-Institut (Bundesinstitut im Geschäftsbereich des Bundesministeriums für Gesundheit)|website=www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/DESH/Berichte-VOC-tab.html|date=17 March 2021|access-date=20 March 2021}}</ref>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –<br />{{small|(–)}}
| data-sort-value="02.7" | –<br />{{small|(2.6%)}}
| data-sort-value="02.0" | 2.0%<br />{{small|(8.8%)}}
| data-sort-value="03.6" | 3.6%<br />{{small|(4.9%)}}
| data-sort-value="04.7" | 4.7%<br />{{small|(10.7%)}}
| data-sort-value="07.2" | 7.2%<br />{{small|(17.7%)}}
| data-sort-value="17.6" | 17.6%<br />{{small|(20.8%)}}
| data-sort-value="25.9" | 25.9%<br />{{small|(33.2%)}}
| data-sort-value="40.0" | 40.0%<br />{{small|(42.9%)}}
| data-sort-value="54.5" | '''54.5%'''<br />{{small|(48.3%)}}
| data-sort-value="63.5" | '''63.5%<br />{{small|(–)}}'''
|-
|[[Liechtenstein]]
| {{small|PCR{{nbsp}}proxy:{{nbsp}}N501Y<ref name="LIE"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="10.9" | 10.9%
| data-sort-value="28.5" | 28.5%
| data-sort-value="32.8" | 32.8%
| data-sort-value="47.0" | 47.0%
| data-sort-value="52.2" | '''52.2%'''
| data-sort-value="73.4" | '''73.4%'''
|-
|[[Spain]]
| {{small|Estimated based on PCR{{nbsp}}proxy<ref name="SPA2"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="07.5" | 5-10%<br />{{small|(Jan.29)<ref name="SPA"/>}}
| data-sort-value="07.5" | –
| data-sort-value="07.5" | –
| data-sort-value="22.5" | 20-25%<br />{{small|(Feb.18)<ref name="SPA4B"/>}}
| data-sort-value="27.5" | 25-30%<br />{{small|(Feb.22)<ref name="SPA3"/>}}
| data-sort-value="50.0" | '''>50%<br />{{small|(Mar.3)<ref name="SPA5"/>}}'''
| data-sort-value="50.0" | '''–'''
|-
| [[United States]]
| {{small|SGTF*Seq.%<ref name="HelixDashboard">{{cite web|url=https://www.helix.com/pages/helix-covid-19-surveillance-dashboard|title=The Helix® COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard|work=Trends in S Gene Target Failure (SGTF), interactive data map: B.1.1.7 weekly share calculated as the average of the daily B.1.1.7 shares of the week. Daily B.1.1.7 shares are found by multiplying "Daily Percent SGTF of Positive Samples" and "B.1.1.7 as % of sequenced SGTF positives".|author=Helix|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.05"| 0.05%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="00.19"| 0.2%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="00.38"| 0.4%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="00.53"| 0.5%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="00.97"| 1.0%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="01.88"| 1.9%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="02.99"| 3.0%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="04.746"| 4.7%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="07.647"| 7.6%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="12.38"|12.4%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="19.34"|19.3% <!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="28.80"|28.8%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="37.38"|37.4%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
|-
| ''[[California]]''
| {{small|SGTF*Seq.%<ref name="HelixDashboard"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.28"| 0.3%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="00.34"| 0.3%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="00.70"| 0.7%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="01.12"| 1.1%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="01.28"| 1.3%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="02.03"| 2.0%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="01.87"| 1.9%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="04.21"| 4.2%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="05.93"| 5.9%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="13.12"| 13.1%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="16.55"| 16.6%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="18.82"| 18.8%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="28.01"| 28.0%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
|-
| ''[[Florida]]''
| {{small|SGTF*Seq.%<ref name="HelixDashboard"/>}}
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.0" | –
| data-sort-value="00.24"| 0.2%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="00.47"| 0.5%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="00.87"| 0.9%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="00.97"| 1.0%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="02.27"| 2.3%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="04.56"| 4.6%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="08.14"| 8.1%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="10.74"| 10.7%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="14.47"| 14.5%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="21.00"| 21.0%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="28.26"| 28.3%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="39.83"| 39.8%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
| data-sort-value="47.02"| 47.0%<!--Helix Dashboard 17/3-->
|-
! colspan="24" text-align="left"| {{small|Other countries without weekly/periodic data, but with a variant share above 5%: {{0}}{{0}} Malta (61%),<ref name="Malta4"/> and Poland (52%).<ref name="POL3"/>}}
|}

The following additional countries did not report variant shares, but are likely to have a significant share present due to their finding of more than 50 cases confirmed by [[whole genome sequencing]] per 13 March 2021:<ref name="GISAID">{{cite web|title=Tracking of variants: VUI202012/01 GR/501Y.V1 (B.1.1.7)|url=https://www.gisaid.org/hcov19-variants/|access-date=19 February 2021|publisher=GISAID}}</ref>
* [[Turkey]] (486 cases)
* [[Finland]] (268 cases)
* [[Australia]] (140 cases)
* [[Chile]] (124 cases)
* [[Croatia]] (121 cases)
* [[Nigeria]] (113 cases)
* [[South Korea]] (90 cases)
* [[Slovenia]] (87 cases)
* [[Latvia]] (83 cases)
* [[India]] (81 cases)
* [[Romania]] (76 cases)
* [[Ghana]] (67 cases)
* [[Singapore]] (66 cases)
* [[New Zealand]] (63 cases)
* [[North Macedonia]] (53 cases)
* [[Brazil]] (53 cases)
* [[Taiwan]] (32 cases)

The [[GISAID]] database of all sequenced COVID-19 genomes, calculates for each country for the past four weeks an average "Relative Variant Genome Frequency" for submitted samples. Those observed frequencies are however subject to sampling and reporting biases, and do not represent exact variant share prevalence due to absence of statistical representativity.<ref name="GISAID"/>

===Countries reporting a first case===
====December 2020====
Cases of the variant began to be reported globally during December, being reported in [[Denmark]],<ref name=bbc212 /><ref name="holmes" /> [[Belgium]],<ref>{{Cite news|first=Alan|last=Hope|date=20 December 2020|title=Netherlands bans flights from UK over new Covid mutation|newspaper=The Brussels Times|url=https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/146288/netherlands-bans-flights-from-uk-over-new-covid-mutation-found-coronavirus-van-ranst-who/}}</ref> the [[Netherlands]], [[Australia]]<ref name=bbc212>{{Cite news |title=Covid: WHO in 'close contact' with UK over new virus variant |website=BBC News |date=20 December 2020 |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-55382212 }}</ref><ref name=holmes>{{Cite news |title=EU to hold crisis talks as countries block travel from UK over new Covid strain |last1=Henley |first1=Jon |last2=Jones |first2=Sam |last3=Giuffrida |first3=Angela |last4=Holmes |first4=Oliver |newspaper=The Guardian |date=20 December 2020 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/20/belgium-italy-and-netherlands-ban-flights-from-uk-over-new-covid-strain}}</ref> and [[Italy]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Coronavirus, in Italia un soggetto positivo alla variante inglese |trans-title=Coronavirus, one person tests positive in Italy for the English variant |author=<!--not stated--> |work=la Repubblica |date=20 December 2020 |url= https://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2020/12/20/news/coronavirus_variante_positivo_in_italia-279229115/ |language=it}}</ref> Shortly after, several other countries confirmed their first cases, the first of whom were found in [[Iceland]] and [[Gibraltar]],<ref name="reuters-iceland-and-netherlands">{{cite news|first=Kate | last=Kelland | date=21 December 2020 | title=Explainer - The new coronavirus variant in Britain: How worrying is it? | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-variant-idUSKBN28V1MM | work=Reuters }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first1=Nick | last1=Squires | first2=Richard | last2=Orange | date=21 December 2020 | title=New coronavirus strain detected around the globe, from Gibraltar to Australia | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/12/21/new-coronavirus-strain-detected-around-globe-gibraltar-australia/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/12/21/new-coronavirus-strain-detected-around-globe-gibraltar-australia/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | work=The Telegraph }}{{cbignore}}</ref> then [[Singapore]], [[Israel]] and [[Northern Ireland]] on 23 December,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-23|title=Singapore confirms first case of new Covid-19 strain from UK, a 17-year-old student who recently returned from Britain|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-confirms-1-imported-patient-with-potentially-more-contagious-covid-19-strain|access-date=2020-12-24|website=The Straits Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-23|title=Israel confirms four cases of new Covid variant|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/dec/23/coronavirus-live-news-us-cases-increase-14-in-one-week-france-to-reopen-uk-border?page=with:block-5fe372908f08da4121f4c7c4#block-5fe372908f08da4121f4c7c4|work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/first-case-of-uk-variant-strain-of-covid-19-confirmed-in-northern-ireland-1.4444730|title=First case of UK variant strain of Covid-19 confirmed in Northern Ireland|publisher=[[The Irish Times]]|first=Gerry|last=Moriarty|date=23 December 2020|access-date=24 December 2020}}</ref> [[Germany]] and [[Switzerland]] on 24 December,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-germany-variant/germany-reports-case-of-british-coronavirus-variant-idUSKBN28Y1LO|title=Germany reports first case of coronavirus variant spreading in Britain|work=Reuters|first=Ludwig|last=Burger|date=24 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/fr/home/das-bag/aktuell/medienmitteilungen.msg-id-81829.html|title=COVID-19: Nouvelle variante du coronavirus découverte dans deux échantillons en Suisse |trans-title=COVID-19: New variant of the coronavirus discovered in two samples in Switzerland |publisher=Federal Office of Public Health (Switzerland)|date=24 December 2020|language=fr}}</ref> and the [[Republic of Ireland]] and [[Japan]] confirmed on 25 December.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/world-news/coronavirus/new-uk-variant-of-covid-19-confirmed-in-ireland-while-1025-new-cases-and-two-further-deaths-confirmed-39900087.html|title=New UK variant of Covid-19 confirmed in Ireland while 1,025 new cases and two further deaths confirmed|publisher=[[Irish Independent]]|first=Eoghan|last=Moloney|date=25 December 2020|access-date=25 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/25/japan-reports-cases-coronavirus-variant-spreading-across-uk|title=Japan reports five cases of coronavirus variant found in UK|work=The Guardian|first=Emma|last=Graham-Harrison|date=25 December 2020}}</ref>

The first cases in [[Canada]], [[France]], [[Lebanon]], [[Spain]] and [[Sweden]] were reported on 26 December.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ontario identifies first cases of COVID-19 U.K. variant in the province|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-confirms-first-cases-covid19-uk-variant-1.5855361|work=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation ([[CBC News]])|date=26 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Coronavirus: More cases of new Covid variant found in Europe |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55452262 | publisher=BBC |date=26 December 2020 |access-date=26 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=France, Lebanon confirm first cases of new coronavirus variant |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/26/france-confirms-first-case-of-new-coronavirus-variant | publisher=Aljazeera |date=26 December 2020 |access-date=26 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Fall av den brittiska virusvarianten upptäckt i Sverige |trans-title=Cases of the British virus variant discovered in Sweden|url=https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/sormland/fall-av-den-brittiska-virusvarianten-upptack-i-sormland | publisher=SVT |date=26 December 2020 |language=sv}}</ref> [[Jordan]], [[Norway]], and [[Portugal]] reported their first case on 27 December,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Norway, Portugal confirm first cases of coronavirus variant in travellers from the UK|url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2020/12/covid-19-norway-confirms-first-cases-of-coronavirus-variant-in-travellers-from-the-uk.html|publisher=Newshub|date=27 December 2020|access-date=28 December 2020|archive-date=30 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230225324/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2020/12/covid-19-norway-confirms-first-cases-of-coronavirus-variant-in-travellers-from-the-uk.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Jordan detects two coronavirus variant cases: minister|url=https://gulfnews.com/world/mena/jordan-detects-two-coronavirus-variant-cases-minister-1.1609090581408| work=Gulf News |date=27 December 2020 |access-date=28 December 2020}}</ref> [[Finland]] and [[South Korea]] reported their first cases on 28 December,<ref>{{cite news| date=28 December 2020 | title=New UK variant Covid strain detected in Finland | url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/new_uk_variant_covid_strain_detected_in_finland/11716211 | publisher=Yle News }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| date=28 December 2020 | title=South Korea reports cases of COVID variant - and says they came from UK | url=https://news.sky.com/story/covid-variant-first-identified-in-uk-found-in-south-korea-12173983 | publisher=Sky News }}</ref> and [[Chile]], [[India]], [[Pakistan]] and the [[United Arab Emirates]] reported their first cases on 29 December.<ref>{{cite news|date=29 December 2020|title=Chile records first case of British variant of coronavirus - health ministry|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-variants-f/chile-records-first-case-of-british-variant-of-coronavirus-health-ministry-idUSKBN2931CS| work=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=29 December 2020|title=Coronavirus: India confirms six cases of new Covid variant|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-55472333| publisher=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=29 December 2020|title=First confirmed case of new Covid-19 strain detected in Pakistan|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/first-confirmed-case-of-new-covid-19-strain-detected-in-pakistan/story-TFLSMYU6WRJ8yToNQfIeyJ.html| publisher=Hindustan Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=30 December 2020|title=New Covid strain in UAE: All we know so far|url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/coronavirus-pandemic/new-covid-strain-in-uae-all-we-know-so-far|publisher=Khaleej Times}}</ref> The first case of new variant in [[Malta]] and [[Taiwan]] are reported on 30 December.<ref name="Malta1">{{cite news|date=30 December 2020|title=Three cases of new COVID variant detected in Malta|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/uk-covid-19-variant-detected-in-malta.841925| work=Times of Malta}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=30 December 2020|title=Taiwan reports its first case of mutant Covid-19 strain found in Britain|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3115884/taiwan-reports-its-first-case-mutant-covid-19-strain-found| publisher=South China Morning Post}}</ref> [[China]] and [[Brazil]] reported their first cases of the new variant on 31 December.<ref>{{cite news|date=31 December 2020|title=China confirms first case of UK coronavirus variant|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20201231-china-confirms-first-case-of-uk-coronavirus-variant| publisher=France24}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=31 December 2020|title=Brazil detects two cases of new coronavirus variant found in UK|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-brazil-variant-idUSKBN2951LL| work=Reuters}}</ref> The [[United Kingdom]] and [[Denmark]] are sequencing their SARS-CoV-2 cases at considerably higher rates than most others,<ref>{{Cite news |title=Dansk Oxford-professor: Danmark skal gøre alt for, at ny virusvariant ikke spreder sig |trans-title=Danish Oxford professor: Denmark must do everything to ensure that new virus variant does not spread |last1=Knudsen |first1=T.H. | publisher=[[DR (broadcaster)|DR]] |date=20 December 2020 |url= https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/udland/dansk-oxford-professor-danmark-skal-goere-alt-ny-virusvariant-ikke-spreder-sig|language=da}}<br />See also: {{cite web|title=Global sequencing coverage|url=https://covidcg.org/?tab=global_sequencing|publisher=covidcg.org|access-date=23 December 2020}}</ref> and it was considered likely that additional countries would detect the variant later.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Scientists urge calm about coronavirus mutations, which are not unexpected |newspaper=New York Times | last1 = Mandavilli |first1 = Apoorva | last2 = Landler | first2 = Mark | last3 = Castle | first3 = Stephen|date=20 December 2020 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/12/20/world/covid-19-coronavirus#scientists-urge-calm-about-coronavirus-mutations-which-are-not-unexpected}}</ref>

The [[United States]] reported a case in [[Colorado]] with no travel history on 29 December, the sample was taken on 24 December.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Casiano|first=Louis|date=2020-12-29|title=Colorado health officials confirm new COVID-19 variant in the state|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/colorado-confirms-new-covid-19-variant|access-date=2020-12-29|website=Fox News|language=en-US}}</ref> On 6 January 2021, the US [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] announced that it had found at least 52 confirmed cases in [[California]], [[Florida]], Colorado, [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], and [[New York (state)|New York]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/06/health/coronavirus-variant-us-cdc-cases/index.html|title=CDC has found more than 50 US cases of coronavirus variant first identified in UK|publisher=CNN|last=Nedelman|first=Michael|date=6 January 2021|access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref> In the following days, more cases of the variant were reported in other states, leading former CDC director [[Tom Frieden]] to express his concerns that the U.S. will soon face "close to a worst-case scenario".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2021/01/08/close-to-a-worst-case-scenario-former-cdc-director-issues-horrifying-outlook-for-new-covid-strain/?sh=7091f39f3738|title='Close To A Worst-Case Scenario'—Former CDC Director Issues 'Horrifying' Outlook For New Covid Strain|work=Forbes|last=Reimann|first=Nicholas|date=January 8, 2021|access-date=January 15, 2021}}</ref>

====January 2021====
[[Turkey]] detected its first cases in 15 people from England on 1 January 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnnturk.com/video/turkiye/son-dakika-haberi-bakan-koca-acikladi-15-kiside-mutasyonlu-virus-ingiltereden-girisler-tamamen-durduruldu-video|title=Son dakika haberi... Bakan Koca açıkladı, 15 kişide mutasyonlu virüs! İngiltere'den girişler tamamen durduruldu |format=Video |trans-title=Breaking news...&nbsp;Minister Koca announced, mutated virus in 15 people! Entries from the UK are completely suspended|website=CNN Türk|access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref> It was reported on 1 January that Denmark had found a total of 86 cases of the variant, equalling an overall frequency of less than 1% of the sequenced cases in the period from its first detection in the country in mid-November to the end of December;<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-02|title=SSI: Meget smitsom coronamutation fra England spreder sig i Danmark|url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/ssi-meget-smitsom-coronamutation-fra-england-spreder-sig-i-danmark|trans-title=SSI: Very infectious corona mutation {{sic}} from England spreads in Denmark|access-date=2021-01-03|website=DR|language=da}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-01|title=Udvikling i smitte med engelsk virusvariant af SARS-COV-2 (cluster B.1.1.7) |trans-title=Development in infection with English virus variant of SARS-COV-2 (cluster B.1.1.7) |url=https://www.ssi.dk/-/media/cdn/files/opdaterede-data-paa-ny-engelsk-virusvariant-sarscov2-cluster-b117--01012021.pdf?la=da|access-date=2021-01-02|publisher=Statens Serum Institut|language=da}}</ref> this had increased to 1.6% of sequenced tests in the period from mid-November to week two of 2021, with 7% of sequenced tests in this week alone being of Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://files.ssi.dk/covid19/status-b117/status-b117-17012021-po64 |title=Status for udvikling af B.1.1.7 i Danmark d. 17. januar 2021 |trans-title=Status for progression of B.1.1.7 in Denmark on 17 January 2021 |access-date=19 January 2021 |publisher=Statens Serum Institut |archive-date=18 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118145802/https://files.ssi.dk/covid19/status-b117/status-b117-17012021-po64  }}</ref> [[Luxembourg]] and [[Vietnam]] reported their first case of this variant on 2 January 2021.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/01/02/vietnam-reports-first-case-new-coronavirus-variant-woman-returning/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/01/02/vietnam-reports-first-case-new-coronavirus-variant-woman-returning/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Vietnam reports first case of new coronavirus variant in woman returning from Britain|work=The Telegraph|date=2 January 2021|access-date=2 January 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://luxtimes.lu/luxembourg/42668-new-covid-19-strain-found-in-luxembourg|title=New Covid-19 strain found in Luxembourg|website=luxtimes.lu|access-date=4 January 2021|archive-date=22 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222135404/https://luxtimes.lu/luxembourg/42668-new-covid-19-strain-found-in-luxembourg}}</ref>

On 3 January 2021, [[Greece]] and [[Jamaica]] detected their first four cases of this variant<ref>{{cite news|date=3 January 2021|title=Greece detects four cases of new coronavirus variant|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-greece/greece-detects-four-cases-of-new-coronavirus-variant-idUSL8N2J141N| work=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=3 January 2021|title=Four cases of COVID-19 variant confirmed in Jamaica|url=https://www.loopcayman.com/content/four-cases-covid-19-variant-confirmed-jamaica|access-date=22 January 2021|archive-date=3 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103130317/http://www.loopcayman.com/content/four-cases-covid-19-variant-confirmed-jamaica}}</ref> and [[Cyprus]] announced that it had detected Alpha (VOC 202012/01) in 12 samples.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cyprus-mail.com/2021/01/03/coronavirus-new-fast-spreading-british-strain-found-in-cyprus/|title=Coronavirus: New, fast-spreading British variant found in Cyprus &#124; Cyprus Mail|first=Katy|last=Turner|access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref>  At the same time, [[New Zealand]] and [[Thailand]] reported their first cases of this variant, where the former reported six cases made up of five from the United Kingdom and one from South Africa,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/six-cases-nz-border-have-had-new-covid-19-variant-in-total-past-three-days|title=Six cases at NZ border have had new Covid-19 variant, 19 cases in total in the past three days|access-date=4 January 2021|newspaper=TVNZ}}</ref> and the latter reported the cases from a family of four who had arrived from Kent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thethaiger.com/news/national/britons-arriving-in-thailand-test-positive-for-covid-uk-variant|title=Britons arriving in Thailand test positive for Covid UK variant|last=The Thaiger|date=3 January 2021|website=The Thaiger|access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref> [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] reported its first case<ref>{{cite news|date=4 January 2021|title=Georgia confirms first case of UK-linked coronavirus strain|url=http://www.businessworld.in/article/Georgia-confirms-first-case-of-UK-linked-coronavirus-strain/04-01-2021-361501/}}</ref> and [[Austria]] reported their first four cases of this variant, along with one case of [[SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant|Beta variant]], on 4 January.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.--> |title=British, South African {{sic|nolink=y|reason=error in source|corornavirus}} mutations detected in Austria |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-austria-idUSKBN2991LT |work=[[Reuters]] |location=Berlin |date=4 January 2021 |access-date=2021-01-06}}</ref>

On 5 January, [[Iran]],<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |title=Iran confirms first case of new Covid-19 variant |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210105-iran-confirms-first-case-of-new-covid-19-variant |work=[[France 24]] |location=[[Tehran]] |date=5 January 2021 |access-date=2021-01-06}}</ref> [[Oman]],<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |title=Oman registers first case of new virus variant in traveller from UK |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-oman-idUSKBN29A1G9 |work=Reuters |location=Dubai |date=5 January 2021 |access-date=2021-01-06}}</ref> and [[Slovakia]] reported their first cases of VOC-202012/01.<ref>{{cite news|date=5 January 2021|title=Cases of the new UK coronavirus variant have been confirmed in Slovakia|url=https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/english-coronavirus-strand-confirmed-in-slovakia|agency=Expats.cz}}</ref> On 8 January, [[Romania]] reported its first case of the variant, an adult woman from [[Giurgiu County]] who declared not having left the country recently.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-romania-idUSKBN29D1SO|title=Romania detects first case of British coronavirus variant|work=Reuters|date=8 January 2021}}</ref> On 9 January, [[Peru]] confirmed its first case of the variant.<ref>{{cite news|date=9 January 2021|title=Peru Confirms First Case of COVID-19 Variant Strain|url=https://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/miscellaneous/covid-19/peru-confirms-first-case-of-covid-19-variant/}}</ref> [[Mexico]] and [[Russia]] reported their first case of this variant on 10 January,<ref>[https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/mexico-detects-first-case-of-new-coronavirus-strain-first-seen-in-uk-121011100144_1.html Mexico detects first case of new coronavirus strain first seen in UK], 11 January 2021 ''www.business-standard.com'', accessed 15 January 2021</ref> then [[Malaysia]] and [[Latvia]] on 11 January.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2021/01/11/uk-variant-of-covid-19-has-reached-malaysia-dr-noor-hisham-confirms/1939483|title=UK-variant of Covid-19 has reached Malaysia, Dr Noor Hisham confirms|newspaper=Malay Mail|date=11 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=4 January 2021|title=New Covid-19 variant found in Latvia|url=https://bnn-news.com/new-covid-19-variant-found-in-latvia-220703| agency=Baltic News Network}}</ref>

On 12 January, [[Ecuador]] confirmed its first case of this variant.<ref>{{cite news|date=12 January 2021|title=Ecuador records first case of new coronavirus variant|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/ecuador-records-first-case-of-new-coronavirus-variant/2106621}}</ref> The [[Philippines]] and [[Hungary]] both detected the presence of the variant on 13 January.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/1/13/live-updates-covid-pandemic.html |title=LIVE UPDATES: COVID-19 pandemic |date=13 January 2021 |work=CNN Philippines |access-date=15 January 2021 |archive-date=21 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121203251/https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/1/13/live-updates-covid-pandemic.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=13 January 2021|title=Hungary detects UK variant of coronavirus, surgeon general says|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-hungary/hungary-detects-uk-variant-of-coronavirus-surgeon-general-says-idUSKBN29I1BR| work=Reuters}}</ref> The [[Gambia]] recorded first cases of the variant on 14 January with it being the first confirmation of the variant's presence in Africa.<ref>{{cite news|date=14 January 2021|title=Gambia records first two cases of British COVID-19 variant|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-gambia/gambia-records-first-two-cases-of-british-covid-19-variant-idUSL8N2JP547| work=Reuters}}</ref> On 15 January, the [[Dominican Republic]] confirmed its first case of the new variant<ref>{{cite news|date=15 January 2021|title=New COVID-19 strain confirmed to arrive in Dominican Republic from London|url=https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2021/01/15/new-covid-19-strain-confirmed-to-arrive-in-dominican-republic-from-london/}}</ref> and [[Argentina]] confirmed its first case of the variant on 16 January.<ref>{{cite news|date=16 January 2021|title=Argentina detects first case of British virus variant|url=https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-01-argentina-case-british-virus-variant.html| agency=MedicalXpress}}</ref> [[Czech Republic]] and [[Morocco]] reported their first cases on 18 January<ref>{{cite news|date=18 January 2021|title=UPDATE 1-Czech Republic detects UK coronavirus variant, to maintain lockdown measures|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-czech/update-1-czech-republic-detects-uk-coronavirus-variant-to-maintain-lockdown-measures-idUSL1N2JT1GH| work=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=19 January 2021|title=Kuwait, Morocco report first cases of UK coronavirus variant|url=https://thearabweekly.com/kuwait-morocco-report-first-cases-uk-coronavirus-variant| agency=The Arab Weekly}}</ref> while [[Ghana]] and [[Kuwait]] confirmed their first cases on 19 January.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-19|title=COVID-19: UK, South Africa variants found in Ghana – Senior Researcher|url=https://starrfm.com.gh/2021/01/covid-19-uk-south-africa-variants-found-in-ghana-senior-researcher/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=StarrFM}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=19 January 2021|title=Kuwait registers first cases of new virus variant|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-kuwait/kuwait-registers-first-cases-of-new-virus-variant-idUSL1N2JU1CP| work=Reuters}}</ref> [[Nigeria]] confirmed its first case on 25 January.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Adebowale|first1=Nike|title=Updated: COVID-19 variant, causing anxiety in UK, found in Nigeria – Official|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/438652-covid-19-variant-causing-anxiety-in-uk-found-in-nigeria-official.html|website=The Premium Times|access-date=29 January 2021|date=25 January 2021}}</ref> On 28 January, [[Senegal]] detected its first case of the variant.<ref>{{cite news|date=28 January 2021|title=UPDATE 1-Senegal confirms presence of UK variant of coronavirus|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N2K30W7| work=Reuters}}</ref>

In early January, an outbreak linked to a primary school led to the detection of at least 30 cases of the new variant in the [[Bergschenhoek]] area of the [[Netherlands]], signifying local transmission.<ref name="DutchnewsBritishstrain">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.--> |title=Municipality to test 60,000 residents for British strain of coronavirus |url=https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2021/01/municipality-to-test-60000-residents-for-british-strain-of-coronavirus/ |work=DutchNews |date=11 January 2021 |access-date=2021-01-12}}</ref>

On 24 January, a person travelling from Africa to [[Faroe Islands]] tested positive upon arrival to the islands, and went directly into quarantine.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kvf.fo/greinar/2021/01/24/uk-covid-strain-confirmed-faroes-0|title=UK Covid strain confirmed in the Faroes|author=Tróndur Olsen|publisher=Kringvarp Føroya|date=24 January 2021|access-date=25 March 2021}}</ref>

On 28 January, [[North Macedonia]] confirmed the variant was detected in a 46-year-old man, who had already recovered.<ref>{{cite news|date=28 January 2021|title=North Macedonia reports first case of British coronavirus variant |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-northmacedonia-idUSL8N2K345K| work=Reuters}}</ref>

====February 2021====
On 1 February, [[Lithuania]] confirmed the first cases of the new lineage.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} On 4 February, health authorities in [[Uruguay]] announced the first case of the variant in the country. The case was detected in a person who entered the country on 20 December 2020 and has been in quarantine ever since.<ref>{{cite news|date=4 February 2021|title=Detectaron la variante británica del virus SARS-CoV-2 en Uruguay|url=https://www.republica.com.uy/hallaron-la-variante-britanica-del-virus-sars-cov-2-en-uruguay-id810761/|language=es}}</ref> On 10 February, the Health Ministry of [[Croatia]] confirmed that out of 61 sequenced samples since 20 January, the variant was detected in 3 samples: a male 50 year old and 3.5 year old from [[Zagreb]], and a male 34-year-old from Brod-Posavina County.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Telegram.hr|title=Potvrđena prva tri slučaja britanskog soja koronavirusa u Hrvatskoj|url=https://www.telegram.hr/politika-kriminal/potvrdena-prva-tri-slucaja-britanskog-soja-koronavirusa-u-hrvatskoj/|access-date=2021-02-10|website=Telegram.hr|language=hr}}</ref> On 12 February, the variant was detected from four areas in Sri Lanka,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-12|title=UK COVID strain found in Sri Lanka - Dr. Chandima Jeewandara|url=https://www.newsfirst.lk/2021/02/12/uk-covid-strain-found-in-sri-lanka-dr-chandima-jeewandara/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst|language=en}}</ref> and the Canadian province of [[Newfoundland and Labrador]] confirmed an outbreak of the variant.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Coronavirus variant puts N.L. back in lockdown; in-person voting suspended|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/covid-late-briefing-feb-12-1.5913042|access-date=13 February 2021|work=[[CBC News]]}}</ref>

====March 2021====
On 2 March, [[COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia|Indonesia]] reports its first cases of the variant in two migrant workers returning from Saudi Arabia.<ref>{{cite news|title=Menkes Sebut 2 Kasus Mutasi Corona Inggris Masuk dari Saudi|url=https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20210302200658-20-612898/menkes-sebut-2-kasus-mutasi-corona-inggris-masuk-dari-saudi|access-date=8 March 2021|work=CNN Indonesia|date=2 March 2021|language=id}}</ref> On the same day, [[COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia|Tunisia]]<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2021/mar/02/coronavirus-live-news-who-says-covid-wont-be-over-this-year-france-and-germany-fight-astrazeneca-concerns?page=with:block-603e646a8f08be9d080d8def#block-603e646a8f08be9d080d8def Tunisia records first cases of UK variant – as it happened] 2 March 2021 ''www.theguardian.com'', accessed 3 March 2021</ref> reported their first cases of the variant. The presence of the variant in [[Ivory Coast]] was confirmed on 25 March.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.educarriere.ci/news-33998-covid-19-le-variant-anglais-detecte-en-cote-d-ivoire-ministere-de-la-sante.html|title=Covid-19: le variant anglais détecté en Côte d'Ivoire (ministère de la Santé)|website=Educarriere.ci |date=25 March 2021 |access-date= 9 April 2021}}</ref>

===N501Y mutation elsewhere===

The N501Y mutation arose independently multiple times in different locations:
* In April 2020, it was seen for the first time in a few isolated sequences in [[Brazil]].<ref name="SMC">{{Cite web|title=Expert reaction new restrictions and the new SARS-CoV-2 variant|url=https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-pms-and-cmos-statements-about-new-restrictions-and-the-new-sars-cov-2-variant/|quote=Dr Julian Tang, Honorary Associate Professor/Clinical Virologist, University of Leicester, said: "An examination of the global GISAID SARS-COV-2 sequence database shows that this N501Y mutation was actually circulating, sporadically, much earlier in the year outside the UK: in Australia in June–July, USA in July and in Brazil in April, 2020."|date=21 December 2020|access-date=21 December 2020|website=Science Media Centre|language=en-GB}}</ref>
* In June 2020, the mutation appeared in an [[Australia]]n lineage.<ref name="SMC"/>
* In July 2020, (according to Dr Julian Tang, [[University of Leicester]]) N501Y appeared in a lineage circulating in [[United States]].<ref name="SMC"/>{{citation needed|reason=better: claim that only a single case found USA/July|date=March 2021}}
* In September 2020, it was found in a lineage in [[Wales]], that evolved independently and was different from lineage B.1.1.7.<ref name="COG-UK"/>
* In September 2020,<ref name=":2"/> the much more transmissible and widespread lineage B.1.1.7 (501Y.V1) was detected for the first time in [[Kent]] (England).<ref name="Rambaut et al."/>
* In October 2020, another highly transmissible variant of concern termed lineage B.1.351 (501Y.V2, [[SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant|Beta variant]]) was first time detected by genome sequencing in [[Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality|Nelson Mendela Bay]] (South Africa).<ref name="GR-B.1.351">{{cite report|date=10 March 2021 |title=Global Report B.1.351 |url=https://cov-lineages.org/global_report_B.1.351.html |publisher=cov-lineages.org |access-date=10 March 2021}}</ref> [[Phylogeography|Phylogeographic analysis]] suggests this lineage emerged already in July or August 2020.<ref>{{Cite medRxiv |vauthors=Tegally H, Wilkinson E, et al. |title=Emergence and rapid spread of a new severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lineage with multiple spike mutations in South Africa |date=22 December 2020 |medrxiv=10.1101/2020.12.21.20248640}}</ref>
* In December 2020,<ref name="GR-P.1">{{cite report|date=11 March 2021 |title=Global Report P.1|url=https://cov-lineages.org/global_report_P.1.html|publisher=cov-lineages.org |access-date=11 March 2021}}</ref> another highly transmissible variant termed lineage P.1 (501Y.V3, [[SARS-CoV-2 Gamma variant|Gamma variant]]) was detected in [[Manaus]] (Brazil).<ref>{{cite news|author=Nuno R. Faria|display-authors=et.al|title=Genomic characterisation of an emergent SARS-CoV-2 lineage in Manaus: preliminary findings|url=https://virological.org/t/genomic-characterisation-of-an-emergent-sars-cov-2-lineage-in-manaus-preliminary-findings/586|date=12 January 2021|website=Virological.org|access-date=11 March 2021}}</ref>

== Statistics ==

=== Table ===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders collapsible collapsed"
|+ Cases by country
|-
! scope="col" |Country
! scope="col" |Confirmed cases (GISAID)<ref name="CovLineages1Jul">{{Cite web|title=GISAID - hCov19 Variants|url=https://www.gisaid.org/hcov19-variants/|access-date=2021-08-13|website=www.gisaid.org}}</ref><br />as of 16 January 2024
! scope="col" |Last Case Reported
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|United Kingdom}}
|268,555
|27 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Canada}}
|250,995<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/tracking-variants-of-the-novel-coronavirus-in-canada-1.5296141|title=Tracking variants of the Novel Coronavirus in Canada|website=CTV News|date=4 February 2021|access-date=13 August 2021}}</ref>
| 6 July 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|USA}}
|219,985
|29 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Germany}}
|102,642
|28 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Denmark}}
|62,570
|29 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Sweden}}
|58,838
|21 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|France}}
|32,782
|28 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Netherlands}}
|28,773
|25 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Japan}}
|32,899
|1 July 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Italy}}
|25,420
|30 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Switzerland}}
|21,726
|26 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Spain}}
|22,258
|5 July 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Belgium}}
|20,724
|1 July 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Poland}}
|14,804
|21 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Ireland}}
|15,798
|23 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Lithuania}}
|9,334
|11 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Israel}}
|7,988
|24 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Norway}}
|8,526
|23 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Slovenia}}
|8,366
|20 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Finland}}
|7,953<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thl.fi/en/web/infectious-diseases-and-vaccinations/what-s-new/coronavirus-covid-19-latest-updates/situation-update-on-coronavirus |title=Situation update on coronavirus - Coronavirus variants |date=11 August 2021 |publisher=[[Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare]] |access-date=2021-08-11 |quote=''Alfa-variant: 7,953'' |language=English}}</ref>
|25 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Greece}}
|5,481
|7 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Portugal}}
|5,015
|23 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Slovakia}}
|4,480
|19 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Luxembourg}}
|4,898
|25 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Croatia}}
|4,350
|11 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Austria}}
|3,836
|20 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Czech Republic}}
|4,299
|24 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|India}}
|3,361
|1 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Latvia}}
|3,135
|28 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Estonia}}
|2,993
|8 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Bulgaria}}
|3,056
|17 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Mexico}}
|1,705
|24 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Thailand}}
|726
|20 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Romania}}
|767
|15 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Philippines}}
|1,001
|30 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Turkey}}
|637
|25 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|South Korea}}
|735
|8 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Aruba}}
|551
|16 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Brazil}}
|584
|1 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Australia}}
|506
|4 July 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Kenya}}
|559
|3 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Cambodia}}
|470
|26 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Sint Maarten}}
|384
|24 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Russia}}
|361
|12 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Curacao}}
|318
|19 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Sri Lanka}}
|386
|25 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Ghana}}
|347
|24 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|North Macedonia}}
|258
|22 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Qatar}}
|231
|23 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Singapore}}
|190
|17 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Pakistan}}
|179
|28 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Bonaire}}
|183
|15 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Kazakhstan}}
|162
|27 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|New Zealand}}
|152
|14 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Malta}}
|148
|11 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Chile}}
|162
|12 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Nigeria}}
|140
|19 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|South Africa}}
|165
|17 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Gibraltar}}
|131
|8 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Argentina}}
|139
|7 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Ecuador}}
|167
|17 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|China}}
|159
|7 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Canary Islands}}
|110
|10 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Morocco}}
|106
|22 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Costa Rica}}
|129
|24 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Bangladesh}}
|93
|8 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Colombia}}
|99
|25 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Jordan}}
|90
|4 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
|68
|21 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Iraq}}
|48
|9 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Guadeloupe}}
|87
|8 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Reunion}}
|80
|8 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Angola}}
|79
|23 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Gambia}}
|72
|25 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Indonesia}}
|63
|28 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Ukraine}}
|70
|18 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Iran}}
|52
|8 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Bahrain}}
|54
|14 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|French Guiana}}
|59
|22 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Guam}}
|39
|11 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Gabon}}
|44
|5 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Guinea Bissau}}
|31
|5 February 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Taiwan}}
|59
|29 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Djibouti}}
|62
|31 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Hungary}}
|29
|26 February 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Albania}}
|28
|11 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Palestine}}
|22
|9 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Vietnam}}
|25
|6 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Georgia}}
|66
|6 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Serbia}}
|45
|11 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Kuwait}}
|21
|5 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Martinique}}
|154
|25 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Togo}}
|21
|25 February 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|United Arab Emirates}}
|19
|29 December 2020
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Barbados}}
|26
|21 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Iceland}}
|20
|5 January 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Saint Lucia}}
|28
|29 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Senegal}}
|35
|30 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Uganda}}
|17
|15 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Lebanon}}
|767
|3 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Cote d'Ivoire}}
|15
|9 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Jamaica}}
|152
|12 February 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Suriname}}
|15
|14 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Armenia}}
|7
|18 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Cameroon}}
|11
|17 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Egypt}}
|7
|17 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Guinea}}
|25
|30 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Malaysia}}
|31
|4 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Nepal}}
|11
|2 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Cyprus}}
|10
|27 January 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Wallis and Futuna}}
|10
|19 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Trinidad and Tobago}}
|9
|4 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Democratic Republic of the Congo}}
|16
|28 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Dominican Republic}}
|16
|14 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Peru}}
|17
|7 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Liechtenstein}}
|14
|16 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Montenegro}}
|7
|21 January 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Rwanda}}
|6
|21 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Antigua and Barbuda}}
|12
|6 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Cayman Islands}}
|10
|15 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Turks and Caicos Islands}}
|5
|22 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Dominica}}
|16
|1 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Paraguay}}
|4
|8 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Puerto Rico}}
|4
|11 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Azerbaijan}}
|3
|7 February 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Belarus}}
|3
|24 February 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Burkina Faso}}
|3
|3 February 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Ethiopia}}
|3
|4 February 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Kosovo}}
|22
|6 January 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Malta}}
|148
|10 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Moldova}}
|16
|3 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Monaco}}
|3
|17 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Republic of the Congo}}
|29
|5 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Tunisia}}
|6
|8 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Anguilla}}
|2
|23 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Bermuda}}
|2
|5 January 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Central African Republic}}
|2
|17 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Faroe Islands}}
|2
|4 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Grenada}}
|3
|8 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Malawi}}
|2
|8 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Mayotte}}
|2
|21 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Montserrat}}
|2
|5 February 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Myanmar}}
|2
|28 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Somalia}}
|6
|5 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Zambia}}
|2
|11 February 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Belize}}
|1
|20 January 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|British Virgin Islands}}
|1
|19 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Equatorial Guinea}}
|1
|9 February 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Guatemala}}
|17
|7 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Haiti}}
|1
|19 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Honduras}}
|1
|23 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Mauritius}}
|1
|10 January 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Mozambique}}
|1
|21 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Northern Mariana Islands}}
|1
|29 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Oman}}
|30
|22 December 2020
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Saudi Arabia}}
|4
|15 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Niger}}
|1
|9 January 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Libya}}
|1
|5 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|South Sudan}}
|1
|3 April 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Burundi}}
|1
|27 May 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Chad}}
|1
| -
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Uzbekistan}}
|2
|25 June 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Cabo Verde}}
|4
|3 February 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Benin}}
|15
|3 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Namibia}}
|3
|March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Maldives}}
|4
|29 March 2021
|-
!scope="row"|{{flagu|Venezuela}}
|3
|7 May 2021
|-class="sortbottom"
!scope="row"|{{noflag}}'''World''' (167 countries)
|Total: '''1,248,973'''
|<small>Total as of 13 August 2021</small>
|}

=== Graphics ===
==== Confirmed cases by countries ====
* Note: The graphs presented here are only viewable by computers and some phones. If you cannot view it on your cell phone, switch to desktop mode from your browser.
* Data provided by various sources, such as; governmental, press or officials are updated every week since their last publication.
{{Switcher
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|yAxisTitle= Number of cases by country
|y1Title=United Kingdom
|y1=1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 9, 9, 9, 9, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 26, 33, 36, 41, 42, 44, 44, 44, 62, 70, 74, 113, 161, 168, 172, 258, 284, 285, 389, 436, 453, 497, 645, 827, 0, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 827, 1108, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4249, 4249, 4249, 4499, 4518, 4562, 4562, 4566, 5040, 6944, 7101, 7711, 8786, 9504, 9939, 9939, 12942, 13018, 14521, 16782, 16847, 16847, 16847, 16982, 20832, 20832, 23250, 24295, 24295, 24364, 27010, 29566, 33153, 33941, 34758, 34756, 37021, 37036, 40302, 44101, ,46042, ,56616,57481, |yGrid = |xGrid =
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| >100 000 cases
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|yAxisTitle= Number of cases by country
|y1Title=Denmark
|y1=33,33,33,33,33,46,46,46,46,86,86,86,86,86,86,86,86,134,134,134,134,208,208,256,256,283,330,330,383,383,464,464,561,632,632,632,772,840,975,1047, ,1116, 1404, 1525, ,1690, 1859,2037,2294,2294,2314,2510,2785,2905,3052,3244,, ,4327,4684,4772, ,5138
|y2Title=Switzerland
|y2=2, 2,3,3,3,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,28,34,34,83,83,83,83,86,86,120,147,147,147,208,243,281,336,336,336,336,474,521,521,654,663,663,663, 1021,1140,1301,1370, ,1621,1692,1848, 2111, ,2381, 2512,2603,, 2928,3122,3257,3426,3492,3825,3825,3992,4025,4070, ,4180
|y3Title=United States
|y3=0,0,0,0,0,0,1,2,6,8,8,8,9,30,52,56,63,71,72,73,81,90,90,103,107,110,139,143,149,151,199,206,207,305,309,335,337,439,440,469, 541, 611, ,690, 932, 981, ,1173, 1277, 1523, ,1661, 1881, 2102, ,2400, 2506, 2672, ,3037,, 4690,, ,4686, 5567, ,6390, 7501, 8337, ,10579, 11569, 12505,, 15511,16275, 19554, 20915
|y4Title=Spain
|y4=0,0,0,4,4,9,11,17,25,25,30,30,41,50,50,69,81,81,81,81,102,102,127,127,127,130,133,140,200,205,205,205,205,283,423,434,437,437,437,437,437,437,437,437,437,437,437,479, 550,
|y5Title=Canada
|y5= 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 7, 7, 7, 27, 27, 78, 78, 98, 104, 105, 136, 187, 184, 242, 260, 269, 279, 355, 366, 385, 429, 506, 544, 568, 583, 607, 640, 665, 731, 755, 769, 809, 827, 854, 964, 1007, 1068, 1181, 1326, 1394, 1437, 1602, 1835, 1902, 1904, 2216, 2479, 2640, 2728, 2867, 2956, 3031, 3335, 3777, 3946, 4169, 4411, 4566, 4807, 5116, 5812, 6083, 6633, 7152, 7410, 7748, 8381, 9461, 9999, 10857, 11414, 11434, 11508, 14016, 14793, 15511, 23611, 26419, 29472, 31567, 34404, 39663, 44466, 49372, 53985, 57103,
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| >10 000 cases
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|yAxisTitle= Number of cases by country
|y1Title=France
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|y2Title=India
|y2=0,0,0,0,0,0,6,20,25,29,29,29,38,58,73,73,82,90,90,96,96,102,109,114,116,116,116,141,141,145,145,150,150,150,150,153,165,165,165,165
|y3Title=Greece
|y3=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,26,26,26,26,32,32,59,59,66,66,66,173, 204, 205, 232, ,412,, ,495,495,495,495,764,, , ,990
|y4Title=Japan
|y4=0,0,5,7,8,14,14,14,20,20,20,20,20,20,23,23,25,25,28,28,28,28,28,32,32,32,36,38,38,39,41,41,41,42,43,43,46,49,54,54, 56, 58,58,69, ,79,90,93, 99, ,112,135, 147,156, ,161, 171,183,188,, 195,211,214,227,, ,318, 318,, ,443,, , ,581,, , ,727
|yGrid = |xGrid =
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| >1 000 cases
|{{Graph
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|yAxisFormat = s
|legend = Legend
|x= 2020/12/23, 2020/12/24, 2020/12/25, 2020/12/26, 2020/12/27, 2020/12/28, 2020/12/29, 2020/12/30, 2020/12/31, 2021/01/01, 2021/01/02, 2021/01/03, 2021/01/04, 2021/01/05, 2021/01/06, 2021/01/07, 2021/01/08, 2021/01/09, 2021/01/10, 2021/01/11, 2021/01/12, 2021/01/13, 2021/01/14, 2021/01/15, 2021/01/16, 2021/01/17, 2021/01/18, 2021/01/19, 2021/01/20, 2021/01/21, 2021/01/22, 2021/01/23, 2021/01/24, 2021/01/25, 2021/01/26, 2021/01/27, 2021/01/28, 2021/01/29, 2021/01/30, 2021/01/31, 2021/02/01, 2021/02/02, 2021/02/03, 2021/02/04, 2021/02/05, 2021/02/06, 2021/02/07, 2021/02/08, 2021/02/09, 2021/02/10, 2021/02/11, 2021/02/12, 2021/02/13, 2021/02/14, 2021/02/15, 2021/02/16, 2021/02/17, 2021/02/18, 2021/02/19, 2021/02/20, 2021/02/21, 2021/02/22, 2021/02/23, 2021/02/24, 2021/02/25, 2021/02/26,
|yAxisTitle= Number of cases by country
|y1Title=Singapore
|y1=1,1,1,1,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,6,6,6,6,7,7,7,7,7,13,13,13,15,15,15,15,18,18,18,18,21,21,21,29,29,29,34,34,34
|y2Title=Luxembourg
|y2=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,6,6,6,6,6,6,6,12,12,12,12,12,12,12,36,36,36,36,36
|y3Title=Romania
|y3=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,3,3,3,4,5,8,8,18,18,18
|y4Title=Bulgaria
|y4=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,8,8,8,8,8,8,8,33,33,33
|y5Title=Hungary
|y5=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5
|y6Title=Czech Republic
|y6=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,10,10,10,10,10,10,10,13,13,13,13
|y7Title=Poland
|y7=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,2,2,2,2,2
|y8Title=North Macedonia
|y8=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1
|y9Title=Slovenia
|y9=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
|y10Title=Slovakia
|y10=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,10,10,10,10,10,10,10,10,22,22,22,22,22,22,22,22,22,22,33,33,33,33,37
|y11Title=Malta
|y11=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3
|y12Title=Chile
|y12=0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,2,2,2,2,2,3,3,3,4,15,18,20,20,20,20,20,20,20,20,20,20,20,20,20,20,28,28,28
|yGrid = |xGrid =
}}
| >100 cases
}}

==History==
===Detection===
[[File:Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (50960620707) (cropped).jpg|thumb|False-colour [[Transmission electron microscopy|transmission electron micrograph]] of the Alpha variant. The variant's increased transmissibility is believed to be due to changes in structure of the spike proteins, shown here in green.]]
The Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7) was first detected in early December 2020 by analysing genome data with knowledge that the rates of infection in [[Kent]] were not falling despite national restrictions.<ref name=peacock/><ref name="Chandetal"/>

The two earliest genomes that belong to lineage B.1.1.7 were collected on 20 September 2020 in Kent and another on 21 September 2020 in Greater London.<ref name="Rambaut et al.">{{cite report
|title=Preliminary genomic characterisation of an emergent SARS-CoV-2 lineage in the UK defined by a novel set of spike mutations
|url=https://virological.org/t/preliminary-genomic-characterisation-of-an-emergent-sars-cov-2-lineage-in-the-uk-defined-by-a-novel-set-of-spike-mutations/563
|author1=Rambaut, Andrew
|author2=Loman, Nick
|author3=Pybus, Oliver
|author4=Barclay, Wendy
|author5=Barrett, Jeff
|author6=Carabelli, Alesandro
|author7=Connor, Tom
|author8=Peacock, Tom
|author9=L. Robertson, David
|author10=Volz, Erik
|display-authors=6
|access-date=20 December 2020
|date=19 December 2020
|publisher=Written on behalf of COVID-19 Genomics Consortium UK
}}</ref> These sequences were submitted to the [[GISAID]] sequence database (sequence accessions EPI_ISL_601443 and EPI_ISL_581117, respectively).<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Grabowski|first1=Frederic|last2=Preibisch|first2=Grzegorz|last3=Giziński|first3=Stanisław|last4=Kochańczyk|first4=Marek|last5=Lipniacki|first5=Tomasz|date=March 2021|title=SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern 202012/01 Has about Twofold Replicative Advantage and Acquires Concerning Mutations|journal=Viruses|language=en|volume=13|issue=3|page=392|doi=10.3390/v13030392|pmid=33804556|pmc=8000749|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Backwards tracing using genetic evidence suggests lineage B.1.1.7 emerged in September 2020 and then circulated at very low levels in the population until mid-November. The increase in cases linked to the variant first became apparent in late November when Public Health England (PHE) was investigating why infection rates in Kent were not falling despite national restrictions. PHE then discovered a cluster linked to this variant spreading rapidly into [[London]] and [[Essex]].<ref name="wwwgovuk20201220" />

Also important was the nature of the [[Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction|RT-PCR test]] used predominantly in the UK, [[Thermo Fisher Scientific]]'s [[TaqPath COVID-19]]. The test matches RNA in three locations, and stopped working for the spike gene due to the HV 69–70 deletion—a deletion of the amino acids [[histidine]] and [[valine]] in positions 69 and 70, respectively<ref>{{Cite web|title=Impact of the 69-70del mutation in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 on the TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit|url=https://assets.thermofisher.com/TFS-Assets/GSD/Reference-Materials/69-70del-s-gene-mutation-eua-faq.pdf|access-date=13 February 2021|publisher=[[Thermo Fisher Scientific]]}}</ref>—in the spike protein of lineage B.1.1.7. This made preliminary identification easier because it could be better suspected which cases were with lineage B.1.1.7 through genome sequencing.<ref>[https://insidecorona.net/the-new-mutation-of-sars-cov-2/ Dr. Andrea Thorn: The new mutation of SARS-CoV-2] ''insidecorona.net'', accessed 7 February 2021</ref>

It has been suggested that the variant may have originated in a chronically infected [[immunocompromised]] person, giving the virus a long time to replicate and evolve.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Report 42 - Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Lineage B.1.1.7 in England: insights from linking epidemiological and genetic data|url=http://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/departments/school-public-health/infectious-disease-epidemiology/mrc-global-infectious-disease-analysis/covid-19/report-42-sars-cov-2-variant/|access-date=2021-03-26|website=Imperial College London|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=peacock/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55388846|title=New coronavirus variant: What do we know?|work=BBC News|date=20 December 2020|access-date=22 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Ellyatt|first=Holly|date=2021-02-11|title=UK coronavirus variant on course 'to sweep the world,' leading scientist says|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/11/uk-coronavirus-variant-on-course-to-sweep-the-world-geneticist-says.html|access-date=2021-03-26|website=CNBC|language=en}}</ref>

===Control===

In the presence of a more transmissible variant, stronger physical distancing and lockdown measures were opted for to avoid overwhelming the population due to its tendency to grow exponentially.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-31|title=Return to full lockdown might not be enough to control new Covid variant, Sage warns|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-new-variant-lockdown-sage-r-rate-b1780909.html|access-date=2020-12-31|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref>

All [[countries of the United Kingdom]] were affected by domestic travel restrictions in reaction to the increased spread of the virus—at least partly attributed to Alpha—effective from 20 December 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-12-20|title=Covid-19: Christmas rules tightened for England, Scotland and Wales|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55379220|access-date=2020-12-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Fairnie|first=Robert|date=2020-12-19|title=Travel between Scotland and rest of UK banned over Christmas as border is closed|url=https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/scotland-england-travel-border-closed-19490450|access-date=2020-12-20|website=edinburghlive|language=en}}</ref> <!--No need to add specific countries, there are at least 44 and increasing, adding countries will make an out-of-control mess. A link to somewhere the countries are listed would be OK. pol098--> During December 2020, an increasing number of countries around the world either announced temporary bans on, or were considering banning, passenger travel from the UK, and in several cases from other countries such as the Netherlands and Denmark. Some countries banned flights; others allowed only their nationals to enter, subject to a negative SARS-CoV-2 test.<ref name="graun">{{Cite news |title=Calls for national lockdown in England to curb spread of new Covid strain |last=Halliday |first=Josh |newspaper=The Guardian |date=21 December 2020 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/dec/21/calls-for-national-lockdown-in-england-to-curb-spread-of-new-covid-strain}}</ref> A WHO spokesperson said that, "[a]cross Europe, where transmission is intense and widespread, countries need to redouble their control and prevention approaches". Most bans by EU countries were for 48 hours, pending an integrated political crisis response meeting of EU representatives on 21 December to evaluate the threat from the new variant and coordinate a joint response.<ref name="holmes2">{{Cite news|last1=Henley|first1=Jon|last2=Jones|first2=Sam|last3=Giuffrida|first3=Angela|last4=Holmes|first4=Oliver|date=20 December 2020|title=EU to hold crisis talks as countries block travel from UK over new Covid strain|newspaper=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/20/belgium-italy-and-netherlands-ban-flights-from-uk-over-new-covid-strain}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Michaels|first=Daniel|date=20 December 2020|title=Countries Ban Travel From U.K. in Race to Block New Covid-19 Strain|work=WSJ|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-lockdowns-prompt-travel-bans-to-block-new-covid-19-strain-11608469676|url-access=registration}}</ref>

Many countries around the world imposed restrictions on passenger travel from the United Kingdom; neighbouring France also restricted manned goods vehicles (imposing a total ban before devising a testing protocol and permitting their passage once more).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-55465744 |title=Kent lorry queue down to 60 vehicles after border closure |date=29 December 2020 |newspaper=www.bbc.co.uk |access-date=30 December 2020}}</ref> Some also applied restrictions on travel from other countries.<ref name=hui>{{Cite web|last1=GRIESHABER|first1=KIRSTEN|last2=HUI|first2=SYLVIA|date=2020-12-21|title=More EU nations ban travel from UK, fearing virus variant|url=https://apnews.com/article/europe-england-united-kingdom-coronavirus-pandemic-germany-06a35eb02ce885ae7b80b2e1851ab893|website=AP NEWS}}</ref><ref name="berger2">{{Cite news|last=Berger|first=Miriam|date=2020-12-20|title=Countries across Europe halt flights from Britain over concerns about coronavirus mutation|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/12/20/countries-across-europe-halt-flights-britain-over-concerns-about-coronavirus-mutation/|access-date=2020-12-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201220230654/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/12/20/countries-across-europe-halt-flights-britain-over-concerns-about-coronavirus-mutation/|archive-date=20 December 2020|issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Quinn|first1=Edna Mohamed(now) Ben|last2=Davies (earlier)|first2=Caroline|last3=Davidson|first3=Helen|last4=Wahlquist (earlier)|first4=Calla|last5=Walker|first5=Shaun|date=2020-12-20|title=Cases of new strain reported outside of UK – as it happened|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/dec/20/coronavirus-live-news-nsw-premier-to-provide-update-on-sydney-restrictions-as-northern-beaches-locked-down-uk-tightens-christmas-rules|access-date=2020-12-21|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Covid-19: UK isolation grows as more countries ban travel |website=BBC News |date=21 December 2020 |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55391289}}</ref> {{As of|2020|12|21}}, at least 42 countries had restricted flights from the UK,<ref name=graun/> and Japan was restricting entry of all foreign nationals after cases of the new variant were detected in the country.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Junko|last=Ogura|title=Japan will ban entry to foreign nationals after Covid-19 variant detected in country|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/26/asia/japan-ban-foreign-nationals-intl/index.html|access-date=2020-12-27|website=CNN}}</ref>

The usefulness of travel bans has been contested as limited in cases where the variant has likely already arrived, especially if the estimated growth rate per week of the virus is higher locally.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-30|title=California has nation's 2nd confirmed case of virus variant|url=https://apnews.com/article/us-news-united-kingdom-coronavirus-pandemic-denver-colorado-72cc2bc0ae61793d0e1849c7fa6167f0|access-date=2021-01-03|website=AP NEWS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mallapaty|first=Smriti|date=2020-12-22|title=What the data say about border closures and COVID spread|journal=Nature|volume=589|issue=7841|page=185|language=en|doi=10.1038/d41586-020-03605-6|pmid=33361805|s2cid=229692296|doi-access=free}}</ref>

===Extinction===

In October 2021, Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health and Security Agency stated that previous circulating variants such as Alpha had 'disappeared' and replaced by the Delta variant.<ref>{{Cite web |title=COVID-19: 'Delta is making other coronavirus variants extinct' - but what does it mean for the UK? |url=https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-delta-is-making-other-coronavirus-variants-extinct-but-what-does-it-mean-for-the-uk-12431343 |access-date=2022-08-17 |website=Sky News |language=en}}</ref> In March 2022, the World Health Organization listed the Alpha, [[SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant|Beta]] and [[SARS-CoV-2 Gamma variant|Gamma]] variants as previously circulating citing lack of any detected cases in the prior weeks and months.<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Rachael Rettner |date=2022-03-23 |title=Coronavirus variants: Facts about omicron, delta and other COVID-19 mutants |url=https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-variants.html |access-date=2022-08-17 |website=livescience.com |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|COVID-19|Medicine|Viruses}}
* [[Variants of SARS-CoV-2]]: [[SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant|Beta]], [[SARS-CoV-2 Gamma variant|Gamma]], [[SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant|Delta]], [[SARS-CoV-2 Epsilon variant|Epsilon]], [[SARS-CoV-2 Zeta variant|Zeta]], [[SARS-CoV-2 Eta variant|Eta]], [[SARS-CoV-2 Theta variant|Theta]], [[SARS-CoV-2 Iota variant|Iota]], [[SARS-CoV-2 Kappa variant|Kappa]], [[SARS-CoV-2 Lambda variant|Lambda]], [[SARS-CoV-2 Mu variant|Mu]], [[SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant|Omicron]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist|refs=
{{efn|name="withoutdash"|Written as '''VUI 202012/01 (Variant Under Investigation, year 2020, month 12, variant 01)''' by [[GISAID]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gisaid.org/references/gisaid-in-the-news/uk-reports-new-variant-termed-vui-20201201/ |title=UK reports new variant, termed VUI 202012/01 |publisher=GISAID |access-date=20 December 2020 |archive-date=20 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201220220828/https://www.gisaid.org/references/gisaid-in-the-news/uk-reports-new-variant-termed-vui-20201201/  }}</ref> and the [[European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control|ECDC]].<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/SARS-CoV-2-variant-multiple-spike-protein-mutations-United-Kingdom.pdf|title=Threat Assessment Brief: Rapid increase of a SARS-CoV-2 variant with multiple spike protein mutations observed in the United Kingdom|date=20 December 2020|publisher=European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)}}</ref>}}
}}

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="Chandetal">{{cite report
|first1=Meera |last1=Chand
|first2=Susan |last2=Hopkins
|first3=Gavin |last3=Dabrera
|first4=Christina |last4=Achison
|first5=Wendy |last5=Barclay
|first6=Neil |last6=Ferguson
|first7=Erik |last7=Volz
|first8=Nick |last8=Loman
|first9=Andrew |last9=Rambaut
|first10=Jeff |last10=Barrett
|display-authors=6
|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/947048/Technical_Briefing_VOC_SH_NJL2_SH2.pdf |title=Investigation of novel SARS-COV-2 variant: Variant of Concern 202012/01 |date=21 December 2020 |access-date=22 December 2020 |ref={{SfnRef|Chand et al.}} |publisher=[[Public Health England]] |page=2}} {{OGL-attribution|version=3.0}}</ref>
<ref name="newmut">{{Cite news
|title=UK variant has mutated again, scientists say
|last=Roberts |first=Michelle
|website=BBC News
|date=2021-02-02|access-date=2021-02-02|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55900625}}
</ref>
}}

==External links==
{{scholia}}
{{Commons}}

* {{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/health/coronavirus-mutations-B117-variant.html|title=Inside the B.1.1.7 Coronavirus Variant |first1=Jonathan|last1=Corum|first2=Carl|last2=Zimmer|work=The New York Times|date=January 18, 2021}}
* [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-variants-genomically-confirmed-case-numbers/variants-distribution-of-cases-data#variant-voc-20201201 Public Health England: Variants: UK distribution&nbsp;–&nbsp;summary of 4 nations distribution]
* [https://cov-lineages.org/global_report_B.1.1.7.html PANGO lineages: New Variant Report&nbsp;-&nbsp;Report on global distribution of lineage B.1.1.7]
* [https://www.gisaid.org/hcov19-variants/ GISAID sequencing data base - Tracking of COVID-19 variants]

{{Portal bar|COVID-19|Medicine|Viruses}}
{{COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories}}
{{Epidemics}}
{{Coronaviridae}}
{{COVID-19 Variants}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Variants of SARS-CoV-2|S001]]
[[Category:COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:2020 disease outbreaks]]