(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JAN 12 - German Chancellor Angel Merkel told her party that she is concerned about the new variant of the virus that emerged in the UK and that she believes it will force authorities to introduce prolonged Covid measures, local media reported today.

"If we don't manage to hold off this British virus, we will have a 10-fold incidence by Easter," she reportedly said according to the daily Bild on Line. "We need another 8-10 weeks of tough measures," Merkel noted. (ANSA).