HALF of all new Covid cases in England could be the new mutant strain discovered in Kent – as Brentwood in Essex becomes the country’s infection hotspot.
The highly contagious new variant is behind a surge in cases in London and the South East, causing millions of Brits to be plunged into a Tier 4 lockdown over Christmas.
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According to the Office of National Statistics, around 645,800 Brits had coronavirus between December 12 and 19 – the equivalent of one in 85 people.
In London, 68 per cent of positive cases from December 14 to 18 were estimated to be the new variant, while in eastern and south-east England the estimate is 65 per cent.
The ONS estimate that 49 per cent of new cases could be the mutant strain which scientists believe is up to 70 per cent more contagious.
New figures released today by Public Health England also show a huge surge in infections in Essex, with Brentwood now the hardest-hit area of the UK.
The borough has a weekly infection rate of 1339.9 cases per 100,000 in the seven days up to December 20.
This is more than twice the figure of 586.9 per 100,000 reported the week before.
Nearby Thurrock has also seen its infection rate almost double in a week, with 1323.8 cases per 100,000.
Epping Forest, again in Essex, is in third place where the rate has risen from 627.2 to 1,276.5, with 1,681 new cases.
In sharp contrast to the Autumn, not a single area in the previously hard-hit North of England makes it into the Top 50 areas with the highest infection rate.
Large swathes of the North, including Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds, were plunged into Tier 3 restrictions in October with all hospitality venues shut.
The areas have since seen a gradual decline in infections, but are unlikely to be moved into Tier 2 as fears grow over the spread of the new variant.
The huge surge in cases prompted the government to introduce Tier 4 restrictions across swathes of the South East and London, with further areas set to be plunged into lockdown on Boxing Day.
In a bid to curb transmission of the new variant, Boris Johnson also announced that festive bubbles would be cut to one day only – and scrapped completely in Tier 4 areas.
The PM today told a Downing Street press conference that tougher restrictions could be required to prevent the new strain “running out of control” in January amid fears of another national lockdown in the New Year.
It comes as Matt Hancock yesterday warned of a concerning new variant discovered in South Africa, which is believed to be more transmissible.
The Health Secretary told reporters that two cases of the new strain had been identified in the UK, with both patients thought to have been in contact with people who travelled between South Africa and Britain in recent weeks.
Responding to the new variant, the Department for Transport last night imposed a ban on all flights from South Africa.
Anyone who has been in or transited through South Africa in the last 10 days is no longer allowed into the UK, other than British or Irish nationals who must self isolate.
Meanwhile, experts warned that all of England should go into Tier 4 today to stop a Covid surge from thousands of super-spreading Christmas gatherings.
24 million people in the south and east will be in the country’s strictest tier from 12.01am on Boxing Day – but some academics are demanding it be brought forward to today for the whole country.
And they say much more is needed to control the spread of a new mutant Covid.
Officials at the Independent SAGE group have today issued a statement claiming the situation is “rapidly worsening” and “incredibly dangerous”.
