The LNS, which analyses around 10% of all positive samples, had analysed some 3,917 swabs by 9 January, the health minister said in answer to a parliamentary question published on Friday.

Most cases come from major lineages of the virus, with B.1.160 (31%), B.1.177 (38%) and B.1.221 (13%) the most common.

Luxembourg has so far identified six infections caused by the UK mutation, also known as B.1.1.7. Health authorities reported the first case on 31 December. Like much of Europe, the grand duchy had cancelled flight connections with the UK after health secretary Matt Hancock had called the new variant “out of control”.

Flights resumed at midnight on 23 December, but passengers must show a negative virus test or get tested upon arrival. The UK strand is considered more contagious although not more harmful.

With a faster spread of infections, however, it has overwhelmed hospitals, for example in London, which declared a “major incident” over the outbreak.

There have so far been no cases found of the new South African (B.1.351) and Japanese (B.1.1.248) variants of the virus.

The World Health Organization on 12 January convened a virtual gathering of 1,750 experts from 124 countries to discuss knowledge gaps and research priorities for the new variants of the virus.

“It is normal for viruses to mutate, but the more the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads, the more opportunities it has to change,” the WHO said in a statement published online. “High levels of transmission mean that we should expect more variants to emerge.”

Early-stage research suggests coronavirus vaccines that have already hit the market protect against the emerging variants found so far.

The LNS is planning on expanding sequencing to all hospitalised cases, health minister Paulette Lenert (LSAP) said. The LNS can currently analyse around 384 samples per week. With fewer new daily infections currently than at the end of last year, it can cover a higher percentage of all cases.