Mutant Covid strain has spread across entire country already, new data reveals

A new mutant strain of coronavirus has spread across the country with hotspots in London and the east of England, new statistics show.

Every nation in the UK has reported cases of the new variant (ORF1ab and N genes) amid calls for a nationwide lockdown to stem the spread of the highly infectious strain.

In the week to December 9, more than 60% of cases in London were caused by the new strain, the Office for National Statistics analysis claims.

Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance pointed out that the figure was 28% less than a month before. 

In England, over a third of new cases involved the new strain, compared with 28% in Wales, 17% in Northern Ireland and 14% in Scotland.

The week before, the Covid variant was responsible for 13% of positive tests in Wales and 6% in Scotland, although it was 20% in Northern Ireland.

In the latest week, the east of England was only just behind London in terms of the percentage of new mutant cases.

Some 59% of new infections were caused by the variant, compared with 43% in the south-east.

The new strain of coronavirus is more infectious than its predecessor (PA)

Some 28% of infections were down to the new variant in London a month ago, however this has shot up (AFP via Getty Images)

Parts of these regions have been placed under Tier 4 restrictions in a bid to contain the extremely contagious strain.

The figures are from the Office for National Statistics Infection Survey, which has gathered swabs from thousands of households.

The percentage of cases attributed to the new strain was lowest in the Yorkshire and the north-west.

Although the new strain is 'everywhere', numbers are not as high outside of London (PA)

Sir Patrick previously warned large swathes of the country were heading for tougher Tier 4 restrictions.

Asked at a Downing Street press conference on the spread of the mutant virus, Sir Patrick confirmed that it was already "everywhere" but not in the numbers seen in London.

He told the press conference: "It’s not as though we can stop this getting into other places."

He hinted that more lockdown changes could be needed to contain the virus.

“Given that we’re entering a period of inevitable mixing, I think there will be some increases in numbers over the next few weeks," he told the press conference.

But Sir Patrick stressed that while it was more infectious, the strain was no more deadly than previous strains.