Where is the sixth person? Insp Hancock investigates

It felt a little like watching a scene from a thriller: The Mystery of the Man from Manaus. Clean out of leads, Inspector Matt Hancock was holding a televised news conference, to appeal to the wanted man to give himself up.

Six people in Britain, he said, had tested positive for the Brazilian variant – but only five had been identified. The sixth was unknown – and Inspector Hancock was urging him (or possibly her) to come forward. “Please get in touch,” he said, several times.

It wasn’t clear what exactly had gone wrong. All Inspector Hancock would say is that the mystery man (or woman) “did not successfully complete the contact details” on the test form. Which might mean this crucial part of the form was left blank. Or that he or she had submitted the form under an alias. “Mr M Mouse, Magic Kingdom”, say, or “B Baggins, Bag End, Hobbiton.”

It all seemed a bit peculiar – not to mention concerning. Still, Inspector Hancock did his best to soothe any fears the public may have.

“All the evidence is that the five cases we know about followed the quarantine rules,” he said, earnestly. “There is no evidence,” he added brightly, “that the sixth case did not follow the quarantine rules.”

On the other hand, of course, there is no evidence that the sixth case did follow the quarantine rules, either. Because we don’t know who the sixth case is. Or where the sixth case lives. Indeed, we know nothing about the sixth case at all, other than that he or she has tested positive. So we have no way of knowing whether the sixth case has been following the rules or not.

Still, thoughtful of the inspector to try and put a positive spin on it.

The mystery man or woman is believed to have taken the test on Feb 12 or 13 – just before the Government imposed quarantine at airport hotels on all arrivals from Brazil.

The BBC’S Laura Kuenssberg reminded the inspector that the Brazilian variant had been identified weeks before hotel quarantine was introduced. Had this delay put lives at risk? “No,” replied Inspector Hancock stoutly. “We had already put quarantine in place.” True, but that was quarantine at home. Quarantine at an airport hotel is somewhat easier to enforce. Plus, if you’ve got all recent arrivals stowed safely in a hotel, it’s quite a bit simpler to get their names – just ask to see their passports. Rather than having to rely on their ability, or willingness, to complete a form.

Anyway, no use dwelling on that now. Let’s just hope the inspector gets his man. Or woman.