A new variant of coronavirus has been found which is growing faster in some parts of England. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said 60 different local authorities had recorded Covid infections caused by the new variant. He also added that WHO has been notified and UK scientists are doing detailed studies on it.
The health minister said there’s nothing to suggest as the vaccines would no longer work while informing his MPs in the House of Commons that over the last week, various cities in London have seen sharp, exponential rises in covid-19 infections.
"We've currently identified over 1,000 cases with this variant predominantly in the South of England although cases have been identified in nearly 60 different local authority areas. We do not know the extent to which this is because of the new variant but no matter its cause we have to take swift and decisive action which unfortunately is essential to control this deadly disease while the vaccine is rolled out, he said.
England's Chief Medical Officer Prof Chris Whitty said the new Coronavirus variant found in Kent and neighbouring areas could be detected with the current covid swab tests.
The changes or mutations involve the spike protein of the virus - the part that helps it infect cells, and the target Covid vaccines are designed around and it will be too soon to predict what this new variant may do to the behaviour of the virus.
Prof Alan McNally, an expert at the University of Birmingham, told the BBC: "Let's not be hysterical. It doesn't mean it's more transmissible or more infectious or dangerous. It is something to keep an eye on.”
He further said that work is on in identifying the characteristics of this new Covid variant and understanding its emergence. It is important to remain calm and keep a rational outlook on the strain as this is “normal virus evolution and we expect new variants to come and go and emerge over time."
Dr Jeremy Farrar, Director of Wellcome, said it was maybe serious. "The surveillance and research must continue and we must take the necessary steps to stay ahead of the virus."
Farrar said to understand the "new strain" or "new variants", we need to see if there is any change in the virus behaviour and viruses mutate over time.
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Matt Hancock said the new variant of coronavirus "may be associated" with the faster spread in the south-east of England and it is known if the virus has evolved to spread from person-to-person more readily.
New strains can become more common for reasons that have nothing to do with the virus.