More than five million people are now living in areas where the ‘Indian’ variant has become the most dominant strain of Covid.

Data from Public Health England (PHE) shows the mutated strain is now causing more than half of infections in a number of local authorities in England. Around 800,000 PCR Covid tests have been sent to 15 hotspots, including parts of London and Merseyside.

The variant has been the most detected in Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen. In the two weeks leading up to May 8, it made up more than 80% of infections in the local authorities – a massive increase from 28.6% in Bolton and 18% in Blackburn with Darwen on April 24.

Extra vaccinations have already been deployed in both areas, while surge testing has been operating since the variant, known as B.1.617.2, was first discovered.

Bedford, in the East of England, and Sefton in Merseyside have also become hotspots for the variant, with more than 80% of infections being caused by the strain in the week leading to May 8.

The town Bedford currently has the second-highest Covid rate in England, with cases doubling every five days. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has described the area as the ‘next biggest cause of concern’ after Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen.

The Indian variant has also caused at least 75% of infections in Hart, Oadby and Wigston, South Northamptonshire, Stevenage and Croydon.

It is not yet known how infectious the mutation is, but it could be as much as 50% more than other strains of the virus. On Monday, Hancock confirmed there had been 2,323 cases across the UK so-far.

He said there were 19 people who had been hospitalised with the strain in Bolton – with the majority of them being people who had not gone for their vaccine when it was offered to them.

Cases rates are also on average three times higher in areas of Blackburn and Bolton with lower vaccine uptake.

The 20 areas where the Indian variant is dominating

Hancock said: ‘This shows the new variant is not tending to penetrate into older, vaccinated groups, and it underlines again the importance of getting the jab especially but not only amongst the vulnerable age groups.

‘We monitor this very, very closely and the latest information of those who have ended up in hospital, gone into hospital, been admitted to hospital in Bolton over the weekend is similar – that the majority are unvaccinated.

‘It just reinforces the message that people should come forward and get vaccinated because that is the best way to protect everybody.’

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