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The numbers of cases involving the variant, known as B.1.617, rose from 520 last week to 1,313 cases this week in Britain, according to official statistics. The extent to which the variant has spread globally is unclear, because most countries lack the genomic surveillance capabilities employed in England.
SAGE experts will hold emergency meeting over the spread of the Indian variant in UK but No10 plays down fears of a delay to lockdown easing – as Andy Burnham demands vaccines for ALL over-16s in Manchester as mutant cases surge
SAGE experts will hold an emergency meeting today in order to discuss the spread of India s Covid variant -
The Indian strain is now dominant in four local authorities in England, surveillance data show
Hotspots Bolton and neighbouring Blackburn with Darwen are now also seeing infections start to rise
But Public Health England has only launched surge testing in Bolton to root out cases of the strain
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Boris Johnson today admitted he was anxious about the Indian variant spreading rapidly in the UK and warned the Government would rule nothing out in its effort to contain it – as official figures revealed weekly Covid cases have doubled in four hotspots where the strain is surging.
The Prime Minister claimed England s lockdown-easing plans on Monday and June 21 were still on track despite cases of the B.1.617.2 strain also tripling nationally in the last seven days – but hinted localised measures could be imposed.
This could include surge vaccinations , in which jabs are offered to all adults in certain areas, rather than prioritising older groups, as well as surge testing which is already being used to tackle other variants.
Public Health England data shows Bolton, Bedford, Blackburn with Darwen and Sefton are seeing Covid rises
All four are hotspots for the Indian variant, according to analysis by one of the UK s biggest variant trackers
Prime Minister claimed that England s lockdown-easing plans still on track but hinted at local restrictions
SAGE is meeting today to decide whether to keep curbs for longer to contain spread of the Indian variant
Cross-party MPs and families living in hotspots blamed ministers for taking weeks to put India on red list