Urgent testing for the South Africa variant of coronavirus is beginning in parts of England, after cases were found with no known links to travel or previous cases.
Over 16s in eight areas in Surrey, London, Kent, Hertfordshire and Walsall are being asked to take tests whether they have symptoms or not.
Previous cases in the UK were traced back to South Africa.
But random checks have identified 11 cases that cannot be linked.
Public Health England has been sequencing around 5% to 10% of all positive cases that enables them to identify variants so there could be more cases in the community.
In total 105 cases of the South African variant have been identified.
The 11 cases cannot be directly linked back to people who had travelled to South Africa, prompting fears there may be community transmission of the virus.
And the government has now sent mobile testing units to a number of neighbourhoods where these cases have been identified.
In some areas, home testing kits are also being sent to households.
Positive cases will be analysed to see if they are caused by the South African variant.
Around 80,000 people live in the eight neighbourhoods being targeted.
The neighbourhoods are:
- W7 and W17 in west London
- CR4 in Croydon, London
- WS2 in Walsall
- ME15 in Maidstone, Kent
- PR9 in Southport
- EN10 in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire
- GU21 in Woking
Dr Susan Hopkins, of Public Health England, urged people to come forward in these areas.
"We are trying to contain this so it does not spread."
More contagious
Like the UK variant, the South African variant is thought to be more contagious but there is no evidence it causes more serious illness.
However, there are signs it makes vaccination a little less effective.
- TESTING: How do I get a virus test?
- SYMPTOMS: What are they and how to guard against them?
- LOOK-UP TOOL: How many cases in your area?
- GLOBAL SPREAD: How many worldwide cases are there?
But Prime Minister Boris Johnson said they would still give a high degree of immunity nonetheless, adding the vaccines could be adapted to deal with new variants if necessary.
"The fact is we are going to be living with Covid for a while to come in one way or another," Mr Johnson said.
"I don't think it will be as bad as the last 12 months, or anything like, of course.
"But it's very, very important that our vaccines continue to develop and to adapt - and they will."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiKmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL2hlYWx0aC01NTg4OTM5MdIBLmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FtcC9oZWFsdGgtNTU4ODkzOTE?oc=5
2021-02-01 13:41:00Z
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