BERLIN (AFP) - Germany on Thursday (Dec 24) recorded its first case of the mutant coronavirus variant sweeping Britain, after a woman who flew in from London tested positive for the strain.

"It is the first known case in Germany," the health ministry of Baden-Wuerttemberg state said in a statement.

The woman had arrived in Frankfurt airport on Dec 20 from London Heathrow.

She was driven home by her relatives into quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19 on arrival at the airport.

A day later, she began showing mild symptoms and a second test also turned up positive.

A sample of her swab test was sent to a specialised laboratory for further analysis.

"Today, the virus variant B.1.1.7 was detected there," added the regional ministry.

Germany on Tuesday extended a ban on arrivals from the United Kingdom until Jan 6 after the new strain, which British authorities say is more infectious, appeared there.