Downing Street has said it is keeping a close eye on the AY4.2 coronavirus variant but insisted there is no evidence it spreads more easily.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “It’s something we’re keeping a very close eye on.
“There’s no evidence to suggest that this variant … the AY4.2 one … is more easily spread. There’s no evidence for that but as you would expect we’re monitoring it closely and won’t hesitate to take action if necessary.”
Cases of AY4.2 have risen sharply in the UK since July - and it now makes up 8% of sequenced cases in the country.
Dr Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration tweeted: "We need urgent research to figure out if this Delta Plus is more transmissible, has partial immune evasion."
There have been 14,385 cases of the Delta Plus strain so far in the UK.
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea
