South African Covid variant cluster found in London

LONDON: The UK's National Health Service (NHS) has said it is using a surge testing system in two areas of south London this week after it was found to have a "significant" cluster of the faster-spreading South African variant of COVID-19.

The NHS Test and Trace said it is providing additional testing and genomic sequencing across parts of Wandsworth and Lambeth, where 44 confirmed and 30 probable cases of the variant first identified in South Africa have been found.

All identified cases are isolating or have completed their isolation, and their contacts have been traced and asked to isolate. The first case of the variant in the area was said to have been identified in early March.