Five people are in hospital with the Indian variant of coronavirus despite having been jabbed against the virus, Matt Hancock has revealed.
At least one of the five hospitalised has been given both vaccines as the strain continues to spread across the United Kingdom.
The five mentioned by the UK Health Secretary are in the Bolton area of England, however it comes after the Daily Record revealed on Saturday that six people in Scotland are in hospital with the variant despite being inoculated.
Hancock told The Andrew Marr Show on the BBC: "We think that there are five people who have ended up in hospital having had one jab."
Asked about people who have received two jabs, he said: "We think there's one person, but that person was frail.
"A small number have had one jab and then there's one case where they've had two jabs and they've ended up in hospital and they were frail."
Asked if anyone had died with the Indian variant after receiving two jabs, Hancock said: "Not that we're aware of."
From tomorrow, parts of mainland Scotland apart from Glasgow and Moray will move to Level Two lockdown restrictions.
A rise in cases in the central belt and the north east region led to the decision, however people receiving their jabs and still being hospitalised with the Indian variant was a factor in the decision.
A source told how there are believed to be six patients – who have had the vaccine – currently being treated for complications suspected to be related to the variant which has been deadly in India.
The high-level source said: “At least one person has had two doses. It is part of the reason for the concern.”
