Vietnam detects a suspected new coronavirus variant that's a hybrid of the UK and India strains

(CNN)Vietnam's health ministry has detected a suspected new coronavirus variant which it said appears to be a hybrid of two highly transmissible strains.

"A new coronavirus variant with characteristics from the existing Indian and UK variants had been detected in Vietnam for the first time," Vietnam's Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long told a national news conference Saturday.
The Southeast Asian country was held up as a leading example in containing the virus thanks to an aggressive strategy of early screening of passengers at airports and a strict quarantine and monitoring program.
But since late April, Vietnam has reported a sharp increase in Covid-19 cases. Almost half its 6,396 confirmed infections were reported in the past month alone, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
It is not clear if the suspected new variant is behind the sudden rise in infections. If it is, it could suggest it is more transmissible.
"The fourth wave of Covid-19 in Vietnam included infections in industrial zones, multiple sources of infections and the presence of various coronavirus variants. It will spread very fast and it will be very difficult to control," the health minister said.
The World Health Organization said on Saturday its Virus Evolution Working Group was working with officials in Vietnam to confirm the possible new coronavirus variant after four people were confirmed to be infected with a suspected new strain.