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https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/new-covid-19-variant-may-have-emerged-in-north-east-surge-1094420

Public health officials are investigating a new variant that could have emerged in the North-East of England, the region that has seen the fastest rise in coronavirus cases in the past seven days.

Six out of the top 10 UK areas with the highest prevalence for Covid-19 in the past week are now in the North-East, including South Tyneside, where there are 828.6 infections per 100,000 people, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, with 744 per 100,000.
While the Delta variant is the dominant variant in the region, as in the rest of Britain, scientific advisers have noticed a signal in the North-East surge which could be linked to a new strain that originated in the UK, i understands.

The emergence of a fresh variant can occur in areas where there are already high reservoirs of infection, because the virus has more chances to replicate. But it will put further pressure on Boris Johnson over his determination to push ahead with the 19 July lifting of restrictions while cases are rising so fast across the country.

On Monday the Prime Minister is due to announce whether the final move out of lockdown in England will go ahead as planned but i has been told that the 19 July decision has been made. The lifting will happen come what may, according to one Whitehall source.

A total of 32,551 new cases were reported across the country on Thursday, with nearly 200,000 over the past seven days.
Public Health Englands latest technical briefing on variants, to be published on Friday, is not expected to name any new variants as being under investigation or of concern, but two will be added to the list of those that are being monitored B1619 and B1629. So far, there are no case numbers available for each new strain, and it is not known which mutations they carry.

The PHE update will also record new infections of the Lambda or C.37 variant, first identified in Peru, which is causing concern in some countries in Europe although the number of sequenced cases is still very low.
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: The rapid increase across the North-East over the last week should have been ringing alarm bells in [Health Secretary] Sajid Javids office.

We know that when transmission is high there are more opportunities for the virus to replicate and mutate and its important we fully understand whats happening.

But this is a reminder why you always need to get ahead of this virus, be cautious and take action to cut transmission, otherwise it quickly gets ahead of you.