COVID-19: Nearly 3,000 cases of Indian variant recorded in UK as surge tests and vaccinations extend | Political news

There are now nearly 3,000 cases of the Indian variant in the UK, the health secretary told MPs.

Matt Hancock said 2,967 cases of COVID-19[female[feminine variant have now been recorded, having reached over 2300 on Monday – an increase of 28%.

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As a result, surge tests and vaccinations will be deployed in Bedford, Burnley, Hounslow, Kirklees, Leicester and North Tyneside.

Ministers are also backing the Scottish government, which is taking similar action in Glasgow and Moray.

“What this means in practice is that we are setting up more test sites and more test sites,” Hancock said.

“Regarding vaccinations, we are making more vaccines available to everyone who is eligible.

The health secretary told MPs that in Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen, where most cases of the variant have been recorded, 26,094 strokes and 75,000 more tests were administered last week.

Mr Hancock added that “we are not yet opening up vaccination to those who are 35 and under”.

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The spread of the Indian variant has raised fears that England’s roadmap to exit COVID-19 restrictions may be delayed, but a postponement of Stage Four is far from certain at this point.

Boris Johnson told House of Commons MPs earlier there is “growing confidence” that current vaccines will be effective against all variants of the virus, including the Indian variant.

Mr Hancock will later address a Downing Street press conference and likely face questions about the variant and its potential impact on the roadmap.

The Prime Minister said …