Kent Covid-19 variant 'to become world's dominant strain'

11 February 2021, 06:39

Members of Kent Fire and Rescue Service prepare to deliver coronavirus testing kits in Maidstone during a blitz on new variants
Members of Kent Fire and Rescue Service prepare to deliver coronavirus testing kits in Maidstone during a blitz on new variants. Picture: PA

By Asher McShane

The new and more infectious variant of Covid-19 first found in Kent will become the world's dominant strain, the director of the UK's genetic surveillance programme said.

The variant has been detected across Britain and in more than 50 countries.

"It's going to sweep the world, in all probability", Professor Sharon Peacock from the Covid-19 Genomics UK (Cog-UK) Consortium said.

The new variant initially led to London and parts of southern and eastern England being rushed into Tier 4 restrictions prior to Christmas, before stricter measures were introduced throughout the UK.

READ MORE: SAGE scientist predicts UK should be 'more or less' free of Covid crisis by end of 2021

READ MORE: Plans for more integration of NHS and social care to 'cut bureaucracy'

Analysis of the variant, known as B117, suggests it is up to 70% more transmissible than the previous strain that was dominant in the UK.

Prof Peacock, professor of public health and microbiology at the University of Cambridge, said transmissibility was likely to cause scientists difficulties for years to come.

"Once we get on top of it [Covid-19] or it mutates itself out of being virulent - causing disease - then we can stop worrying about it,"she said.

"But I think, looking in the future, we're going to be doing this for years. We're still going to be doing this 10 years down the line, in my view."

Despite data suggesting the mutant variant may be more deadly, there is no evidence to indicate existing treatments, such as dexamethasone, will not be effective against it.

A study has suggested that people infected with the UK variant are less likely to report a loss of taste and smell.

There are now four "variants of concern" of the virus that causes Covid-19 identified by government advisers, three of these have been found in the UK, and the fourth is the Brazil variant identified in people who had travelled to Japan.

Analysis is ongoing to establish the impact of these mutations on the virus.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Kemi Badenoch has been elected as the new Conservative Party leader

Kemi Badenoch says it is 'enormous honour' to be elected new leader of Conservative Party

Janey Godley has died at the age of 63

Scottish comedian Janey Godley died in hospital 'surrounded by her loved ones' aged 63 following battle with cancer

Exclusive
Anthony Scaramucci

Anthony Scaramucci says 'garbage' comments made at Trump rally have 'lit up' Puerto Ricans - and could swing election

billy nighy

Billy Nighy 'stole complete works of Shakespeare from library' to prepare for drama school audition

v

Winner in Conservative leadership contest to be announced this morning

Palma is on lockdown amid warnings of heavy rain

Majorca on lockdown as tourist hotspot faces flooding horror after storm kills more than 200

UK GP visiting senior woman at home

Care homes and GPs could face closure under Labour tax plans, health leaders warn

Rebekah Vardy 'threatens to reignite war with Coleen Rooney'

Rebekah Vardy launches appeal against Wagatha Christie £1.8m costs ruling

Alexandra Palace Hosts Its Annual Fireworks Display Ahead Of Bonfire Night

Bonfire night 2024 forecast: What will the weather be like for fireworks night?

Darrian Williams

Two teen boys found guilty after 16-year-old stabbed to death by masked attackers in Bristol park

Westminster Protest

'Betrayed' farmers to protest over Labour's inheritance tax raid - as Chancellor insists changes are 'fair'

The teen was left to die by the side of road.

Six teenagers arrested after 13-year-old girl left with life-threatening injuries in East Yorkshire stabbing

Israel claims to have killed a high-ranking member of Hamas

Israel 'eliminates' one of Hamas' last high-ranking officials

Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales attend a Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee

King Charles 'finally cuts Prince Andrew off' as he 'axes Duke's annual £1m allowance'

Claw hammer-wielding public schoolboy who attacked sleeping students and teacher handed life sentence

Pictured: Public schoolboy, 17, who attacked sleeping students and teacher with hammers he kept 'for zombie apocalypse'

Emergency and rescue personnel work at the site where a concrete outdoor roof of a train station collapsed in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad

Train station canopy collapses in Serbia, killing 8 people in horror accident, with more victims still trapped in rubble