The worrisome variant of the Indian coronavirus appears to be spreading rapidly, with a 44% weekly increase in the number of areas in England registering a case.
The variant was detected in 127 local authorities during the week ending May 8 – up from 71 the week before, according to figures from the Wellcome Sanger Institute.
However, 40 of the 127 areas identified only one case.
He comes as a health secretary Matt hancock said on Monday that 2323 cases of the most transmissible variant had now been registered in the UK.
The variant – B.1.617.2 – is expected to eventually become the dominant form of COVID, according to Professor Chris Whitty.
The PM also said he could delay the final stage of the lockdown to June 21, when most of the remaining restrictions are expected to be lifted.
A few areas in the northwest of England have been identified as hotspots for the variant, as well as – further south – Bedford, and data from the Wellcome Sanger Institute confirms this.
He revealed cases in Bolton more than doubled from the week ending May 1, with 289 identified in one week.
The number of new cases has also increased by 74% in Sefton in Merseyside (99 cases), 67% in Blackburn with Darwen (110) and 39% in Bedford (69).
On Monday, Mr Hancock told the House of Commons that cases in Bolton and Blackburn have doubled over the past week and are increasing across all age groups.
He said surge tests would also be carried out in Bedford.
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It is important to note that scientists believe that B.1.617.2 does not cause more serious disease than the currently dominant Kent variant, and the indications are that the vaccines are also effective.
But government advisory body SAGE believes there is a “realistic possibility” that transmissibility could be 50% higher.
Experts say it could cause a …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-05-17 16:00:00