Up to three quarters of new UK Covid cases could be of the Indian variant, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.
Public Health England data shows cases of the variant have risen by 3,535 to 6,959 since last week.
Mr Hancock told a Downing Street briefing that the government had always expected cases to rise as restrictions were eased.
But he said it was "critical" to monitor the link between cases and hospitalisations.
On Thursday, a further 3,542 coronavirus cases and 10 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were reported in the UK.
Over the last seven days, cases are up 20.5% compared with the week before.
'Remain vigilant'
Mr Hancock told the briefing on Thursday: "The latest estimates are that more than half and potentially as many as three-quarters of all new cases are now of this variant.
"As we set out our roadmap we always expected cases to rise - we must remain vigilant."
Mr Hancock said the increase in cases was still focused in hotspots.
The PHE data found the worst-affected areas continue to be Bolton, Bedford, and Blackburn with Darwen, which have seen 1,354, 366 and 361 confirmed cases, respectively.
PHE added, however, that there are small numbers of cases of the variant in most parts of the country.
Mr Hancock said there was surge testing and vaccinations in the eight hotspot areas, and there was also increased testing in places where cases are lower but rising.
The health secretary urged people to get both vaccine doses, saying all of the evidence showed it was the best way to protect yourself, loved ones and the wider community.
Of the 49 people in hospital with Covid in Bolton only five had received both doses, he said.
It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said England "may need to wait" for the lifting of all Covid restrictions, which is currently planned for 21 June.
The PM said he saw nothing "currently in the data" to suggest the government would have to delay unlocking.
But he added there were signs of an increase in the number of cases of the Indian variant.
Epidemiologist Prof Neil Ferguson, whose modelling was crucial to the decision to go into the first lockdown in March 2020, said the reopening of society is now "in the balance".
He told the BBC: "The key issue as to whether we can go forward is: will the surge caused by the Indian variant... be more than has been already planned into the relaxation measures?"
On 21 June, the government hopes to move to the final stage of its roadmap for lifting lockdown.
Step four would see all legal limits on social contact removed, nightclubs would reopen, and restrictions on large events and performances would be lifted.
Scientists advising the government are currently studying all relevant data since the last set of lockdown relaxations on 17 May.
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2021-05-27 16:40:38Z
CBMiJGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy91ay01NzI3NTI3NtIBKGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy91ay01NzI3NTI3Ni5hbXA
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