Over 2,300 in UK infected with variant first detected in India
The highly transmissible coronavirus variant that was first detected in India has now been found in 86 districts across the UK, health secretary Matt Hancock said, as he urged the British public to stay cautious.
Authorities have identified 2,323 cases of the variant as of Monday, with cases doubling in the past week in Bolton and Blackburn in northwestern England, Hancock told the House of Commons.
With 86 local authorities confirmed to have five or more cases of the variant, Hancock said it was vital that people get vaccinated. Most people with the variant known as B.1.617.2 in areas around Bolton had not received a shot, he said, and early evidence suggests vaccines still work against this variant.
“The vaccination programme can give us confidence but we must be alert to new variants that can jeopardise the advances that we’ve made,” Hancock said.
“We must proceed with caution and care and bear down on the virus, in whatever form it attacks us.”
An England-wide ban on households mixing indoors was relaxed on Monday, and bars, restaurants and cafes were allowed to open to customers inside for the first time in months.
At least 200 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been given in the EU as of Tuesday, according to AFP data tallying up official figures given by member states’ health services.
The milestone indicates that the EU should be on track to meet its goal of fully vaccinating 70% of adults - meaning roughly 255 million people out of its total 448 million population - by July. At least 52.9 million people have been completely vaccinated.
A Canadian armed forces veteran with over three decades of experience has been appointed to lead the country’s coronavirus vaccine roll-out, replacing another officer who was removed from his duties due to allegations of sexual misconduct. Krista Brodie is taking on the role of vice-president of vaccine logistics and operations with public health agency of Canada after her predecessor Dany Fortin quit on May 15. Fortin was appointed to the position in November last year.