The number of cases of the Indian COVID variant in England has risen by 3,535 to 6,959 since last week, according to official figures.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the variant is spreading and the latest estimates show it makes up more than half – and possibly as many as three quarters – of all new COVID cases.

The B.1.617.2 variant of concern, which is believed to be more transmissible than the Kent variant which became dominant in the country after Christmas, has resulted in surge testing and vaccinations in numerous areas.

Public Health England (PHE) data shows that cases of the variant have risen by 3,535 to 6,959 since last week.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, speaking at a Downing Street news conference, said: “The variant first identified in India, so-called B.1.617.2, is still spreading.

“And 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 road map, we always expected cases to rise. We must remain vigilant.”

The most affected areas continue to be Bolton, Bedford and Blackburn with Darwen, which have seen 1,354, 366 and 361 confirmed cases, respectively.

The health secretary said, in the last week, 17,140 doses of vaccine have been given out in Bolton.

The vast majority of people infected with the Indian variant are unvaccinated, according to the latest PHE data.

Of 5,599 cases of the variant since 1 February 2021, 3,367 infected people hadn’t had a single dose. Just 177 of the cases were in people who were fully vaccinated with both doses.

Unvaccinated individuals accounted for 29 of 43 hospital admissions. Just one was fully vaccinated and eight of the 12 deaths were in unvaccinated people.

Earlier, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the link between COVID-19 cases, hospital admissions and deaths was being “severed” but it was too early to say whether the 21 June lifting of social restrictions would go ahead.

Mr Hancock told MPs Wednesday’s figure of 3,180 new cases of coronavirus may have been “the highest since 12 April” but vaccines were working.

That figure has since been surpassed, with the UK today reporting 10 new deaths a further 3,542 cases of the disease and 10 new deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test.

Overall, case rates have been surging since the start of the month, but they’ve stalled at around 450 cases per 100,000 for the last 3 days.

On Wednesday, former senior scientific adviser to the government Neil Ferguson said it could be another “two to three weeks” before it’s clear whether the final step in lifting lockdown can safely go ahead.

Dr Jennie Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said it was hanging in the balance.

She told the news conference: “I think it is really, really just on the cusp at the moment. If we see cases rise, we’re not clear yet quite whether that is a rise in the variant cases taking off or whether it’s actually a rise because we are actively, quite rightly, detecting them and challenging these chains of transmission.“

The final stage of the lockdown easing, which is pegged for 21 June, is critical for those in the arts, sport and hospitality industries, who are hoping their sectors can begin to return to normal.

On Tuesday, Sky News analysis found that 121 local authority areas in England had seen a rise in growth rates for the Indian coronavirus variant of concern.

The rise in cases of the variant has led to travel restrictions being imposed on Britons wanting to go abroad, with France introducing mandatory quarantine for people arriving from the UK and other countries imposing other measures.

A surge in cases in some areas led to confusion among eight local authorities which, over the weekend, found government guidance had been issued advising against travel across their boundaries.

The uncertainty created by the extra guidance – which many of the authorities said they were not aware of – forced the government to change its advice for residents, telling them to minimise travel in and out of affected areas.

Related posts:

UK records another 110 coronavirus deaths and 5,294 new cases as over 24.8 million have had first vaccine dose Improving women’s safety needs more than ‘headline-grabbing quick fixes’ Two cases of monkeypox virus found in Wales Queen honours Philip’s closest aides to mark day he would have turned 100 England must be ‘really careful’ about 21 June easing Southgate: ‘I don’t want to outstay my welcome’ as England manager Daily lateral flow testing for double-jabbed contacts of COVID cases to start on Tuesday ‘UK’s largest ever’ bird flu outbreak reported in Northern Ireland At least one patient has died with Omicron variant of COVID, PM says ‘One of the biggest days’: £700m contracts for offshore Scottish wind farm projects awarded Man who randomly attacked five people in Manchester shopping centre with knife sentenced Man jailed for 1990 rape of teenager out walking her dog – and victim ‘didn’t know if she would live or die’