South African variant numbers are up amid reports that several infected people had received a vaccine dose… as Indian Covid strain arrives in UK
- Fears have been rising over the South African variant of coronavirus
- Extra 56 cases were reported in week up to April 14, government figures say
- Officials are scrambling to contain an outbreak of the strain in London, with additional testing facilities set up for hundreds of thousands of people
- Test and Trace official reportedly said that several people were infected despite having had at least one dose of the Oxford or Pfizer vaccine, reports say
Fears are rising over the South African variant following reports that several infected people had received at least one vaccine dose.
An extra 56 cases were reported in the week up to April 14, according to government figures, which takes the total confirmed cases of the variant to 600.
Officials are scrambling to contain an outbreak of the strain in London, with additional testing facilities set up for hundreds of thousands of people.
A Test and Trace official reportedly said that several people were infected despite having had at least one dose of the Oxford or Pfizer vaccine, according to the Financial Times.
People stand in line for coronavirus surge testing on Clapham Common, south London, April 14
The variant is known to have a mutation which could help it evade the immune response of inoculated people, although experts have stressed it is highly unlikely to render any vaccine useless.
Home testing kits are now being delivered in the N3 postcode area of Barnet, north London, and tests are being offered in the boroughs of Lambeth, Wandsworth and the Rotherhithe ward of Southwark.
Meanwhile, a ‘double mutant’ virus first found in India has been discovered in 77 people in the UK.
The Indian strain is under investigation along with six others. It is not clear how it entered the UK. A double mutant has two concerning mutations in the same virus.
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