UK Covid: India variant case numbers rise to 3,424 – up 160% over past week – as it happened
Total of 3,424 cases of the India variant of coronavirus B1.617.2 have now been confirmed in the UK. This live blog is now closed - please follow the global live blog for updates
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6.16pm BST
We have updated the number of confirmed cases of #COVID19 #variants identified in UK.
More: https://t.co/NxiBAaLVss
Cases of VOC-21APR-02 have risen by 2,111 since last week. These are still predominantly affecting the North West of England - particularly Bolton - and London. pic.twitter.com/gADvCktEev
6.04pm BST
These are from ITV News's science editor, Tom Clarke, on the new India variant figures.
Breaking: Data from @PHE_uk shows there are now 3424 cases of India variant of concern. That's up 2,111 on last week. https://t.co/JEFZOOv1pS
According to my rough calculation that's a doubling time of 5 days. Cases of the Kent variant took 2 weeks to double in the run-up to the January peak.
So you can see why epidemiologists and the government are very concerned. Important caveats still apply however.
The rise in cases are predominantly in areas where Covid rates were high previously (and vaccination rates a bit lower than average). If the new variant was suddenly seeded" into them it could cause temporary surge.
All eyes are on other outbreak areas to see if growth rates there are similar - will be earliest sign that the shocking speed of growth we're seeing is due to with the virus itself- or the circumstances it finds itself in.
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