The Indian variant of coronavirus which has been found in the UK could be a "cause for concern" according to an expert.
The variant features two mutations would could make the current vaccines less effective.
Public Health England reported that 73 cases of the B.1.617 variant have been confirmed in England as well as four cases in Scotland.
The B.1.617 variant was first identified in India and has since been found elsewhere, including California.
Officials have designated it a variant under investigation.
Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, said the variant featured two "escape mutations" - E484Q and L452R - that "are causing people to be concerned".
He said: "There's laboratory evidence that both of these are escape mutations.
"Basically, applying what we know about other human coronaviruses would suggest that this is going to be even less controlled by vaccine.
"But we don't know that for certain at the moment."
Prof Hunter also said the arrival of the India variant could be more “problematic” than the South African and Brazilian variants.
He said: “These two escape mutations working together could be a lot more problematic than the South African and Brazilian variants who have only got one escape mutation.
“It might be even less controlled by vaccine than the Brazilian and South African variants.”
