File photo: AFP

MOSCOW, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Russia detected its first case of the new coronavirus strain, which was first discovered in the United Kingdom (UK) last month, said Anna Popova, head of the country's consumer rights and human well-being watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, on Sunday.

"One person had the new strain of coronavirus," Popova said on Rossiya-1 television channel, commenting on the vetting of arrivals from the UK.

Russia registered 22,851 new COVID-19 cases over the past day, taking the national total to 3,401,954, said the country's COVID-19 response center on Sunday.