Surge testing after outbreak of South Africa variant

OffiCiAlS yesterday launched the biggest surge testing operation to date after a major Covid outbreak was linked to the South African variant.

Anyone aged 11 or over who lives in, works in or travels through the boroughs of Wandsworth or lambeth, in south london, is being urged to get a test.

NHS Test and Trace identified 44 confirmed cases and 30 probable cases in the area. it is feared the South African variant may be able to evade existing vaccines.

it comes as just 13 coronavirus-related deaths were recorded yesterday and a low of seven was announced at the weekend. The figures suggest Covid is now responsible for only a tiny fraction of mortality in the country. The current seven day average of 34 Covid-related deaths also suggest the outbreak is now in rapid retreat.

The numbers are nearly 30 times lower than the number killed by respiratory diseases each day during the same April week of 2019 and is more than 20 times lower than those who died of heart disease.

in the week ending April 12 2019, the Office for National Statistics found there were 10,291 deaths in England and Wales. Respiratory diseases were responsible for 1,396 of these deaths – or just under 200 daily. Across the whole of 2019, there were 66,424 deaths from dementia – an average of 182 a day. in that same year, there were 55,064 deaths from heart disease – equal to 150 a day. The ONS recorded 29,463 deaths – 80 a day – from the most common cancers.

The Kent variant is no more deadly than the original Covid strain. Two studies found no evidence victims were more likely to die, but did find it was more transmissible.