On January 19-21, Ukraine will send the first samples taken in Ukraine to detect the British strain of COVID-19 to a laboratory designated by WHO, operating at the Charite Clinic in Berlin, chief sanitary doctor of Ukraine, Deputy Minister of Health Viktor Liashko told Interfax-Ukraine.

"The first samples are planned to be sent on January 19-21, 2021 at a WHO-designated laboratory operating at the Charite Clinic (Berlin, Germany). Samples will be collected by January 14 from patients with suspected coronavirus infection registered in areas with a significant level of infection from patients with severe illness and/or experience traveling to the UK," he said.

Liashko said that the transfer of samples will be carried out in connection with the call of the WHO to all countries to start researching the circulation of the new "British" strain in their territories.

Liashko specified that the selected samples will be stored at a temperature of 70°C below zero and lower, avoiding repeated thawing/freezing.

On average, in 2021, Ukraine will send 150-200 samples per month to a laboratory designated by WHO to determine the British mutated strain of coronavirus.

"On January 7, another daily record on the number of cases of coronavirus disease was registered in the world - 820,851 cases. Among European countries, most cases are recorded in the UK, this is associated with the circulation of a mutated strain of coronavirus.