10 cases of the coronavirus variant first discovered in Britain have been identified in Armenia, health authorities reported on Friday, April 2.

The highly contagious coronavirus variant was discovered in 10 out of 12 samples studied by the researchers of the country's National Academy of Sciences and the Russian-Armenian University, the Health Ministry said.

The Ministry also reminded the importance of wearing masks, frequently washing the hands and keeping a safe distance to slow the spread of Covid-19, amid the discovery of more strains of the virus around the world.

The variant first identified in the U.K. is associated with a 64% higher risk of dying from Covid-19 than earlier strains, according to a study published in mid-March. The researchers said people infected with B.1.1.7 were between 32% and 104% more likely to die.