According to Wellcome Sanger Institute data, one or more cases of the Indian variant was detected by genome sequencing test results in 108 local authorities in the two weeks ending May 8. It came as Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed this week that 86 local authorities in England have detected five or more cases of the variant so far. Professor Chris Whitty has said the Indian variant is expected to eventually become most dominant strain of Covid-19 in the UK. Now, fresh virus hotspots are emerging and authorities are urging people in affected areas to submit to surge testing to trace and stamp out the Indian variant. The Mirror has excluded local authority areas recording 0.5 cases - or fewer than one case in two weeks- from its analysis.

Source: Daily Mirror May 18, 2021 13:13 UTC