Israel detects first cases of coronavirus variant

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu urged residents to "assume" that the new variant of coronavirus was spreading in his country.

Netenyahu's message comes after the nation's Health Ministry detected the first known cases of the new variant.

The ministry announced on Wednesday that it found it in three people who are in government-run quarantine hotels after returning from the UK.

The source of a fourth case is still under investigation.

Israel this week tightened its restrictions on entering the country, barring nearly all foreigners and requiring all returning Israelis to isolate in state-run hotels for 10 to 14 days.