New variant Covid cases up 30% in Yorkshire and the Humber - ONS survey suggests

By Abbey Maclure
Published 8th Jan 2021, 16:45 BST
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Around three in 10 recent cases of coronavirus in Yorkshire in the Humber could be the new variant, figures suggest.

The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) Covid-19 Infection Survey, which gives figures for infections in private households, suggests the percentage of cases compatible with the new variant is up by almost 30 per cent in the region.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced in mid-December that experts had identified a new variant of coronavirus which he said may have been responsible for the “faster spread” in south-east England.

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This week, as he imposed a third national lockdown on England, Boris Johnson said the variant, which is up to 70 per cent more transmissible, was spreading in a “frustrating and alarming” manner.

Leeds city centre during lockdown, as figures suggest cases of the new variant in Yorkshire are on the riseLeeds city centre during lockdown, as figures suggest cases of the new variant in Yorkshire are on the rise
Leeds city centre during lockdown, as figures suggest cases of the new variant in Yorkshire are on the rise

There were 16,555 coronavirus cases recorded in Yorkshire and The Humber in the seven days to January 2, the latest available figures.

Of those cases, 27 per cent were estimated to be genetically compatible with the new variant

The estimate is up 28.6 per cent from the last ONS survey, which covered the seven days to December 18.

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The ONS said Yorkshire and the Humber had the lowest percentage of recent cases compatible with the new variant in England.

The percentage of Covid cases which are compatible with the new variant across the UK (Image: PA Wire)The percentage of Covid cases which are compatible with the new variant across the UK (Image: PA Wire)
The percentage of Covid cases which are compatible with the new variant across the UK (Image: PA Wire)

Around eight in 10 recent positive cases of Covid-19 in London and eastern England could be the new UK variant, while two other regions with estimates above 50 per cent were south-east England (67 per cent) and south-west England (53 per cent).

The ONS and the University of Oxford test swabs for three genes present in coronavirus: N protein, S protein and ORF1ab.

The new variant of Covid-19 has genetic changes in the S-gene. This means the S-gene is no longer detected in the current test, and cases that would have previously been positive on all three genes are now positive only on the ORF1ab and the N-gene.

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