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| ‘Some evidence’ new UK Covid-19 variant kills more people – PM Boris Johnson | ‘Some evidence’ new UK Covid-19 variant kills more people – PM Boris Johnson |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The UK’s new Covid-19 variant may be linked to higher mortality, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned in a press conference, citing early analysis of the mutated strain which was discovered late last year. | The UK’s new Covid-19 variant may be linked to higher mortality, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned in a press conference, citing early analysis of the mutated strain which was discovered late last year. |
| “We've been informed today that in addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant – the variant that was first discovered in London and the south east (of England) – may be associated with a higher degree of mortality,” Johnson said. | “We've been informed today that in addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant – the variant that was first discovered in London and the south east (of England) – may be associated with a higher degree of mortality,” Johnson said. |
| The PM said that the number of deaths is expected to “continue to be high for a little while to come” as a result of the “big surge” in infections caused by the spread of the new variant over the festive period. | The PM said that the number of deaths is expected to “continue to be high for a little while to come” as a result of the “big surge” in infections caused by the spread of the new variant over the festive period. |
| The strain in question, known as B117, is between 30 and 70 percent more transmissible than the previous version of Covid-19, according to early data, the government’s Chief Scientific Advisor Patrick Vallance said. | The strain in question, known as B117, is between 30 and 70 percent more transmissible than the previous version of Covid-19, according to early data, the government’s Chief Scientific Advisor Patrick Vallance said. |
| According to hospital data there is no increase in mortality, Vallance said, but for those who have tested positive for Covid-19, he said there was an “increased risk” of death, although he stressed that the data was still uncertain. | According to hospital data there is no increase in mortality, Vallance said, but for those who have tested positive for Covid-19, he said there was an “increased risk” of death, although he stressed that the data was still uncertain. |
| “If you took somebody in their 60s, the average risk is that for 1,000 people who got infected, roughly 10 would be expected to unfortunately die with the virus,” Vallance said. | “If you took somebody in their 60s, the average risk is that for 1,000 people who got infected, roughly 10 would be expected to unfortunately die with the virus,” Vallance said. |
| “With the new variant for 1,000 people infected, roughly 13 or 14 people might be expected to die, that’s the sort of change for that sort of age group.” | “With the new variant for 1,000 people infected, roughly 13 or 14 people might be expected to die, that’s the sort of change for that sort of age group.” |
| He also said that there is increasing evidence from laboratory studies that the UK variant will be susceptible to vaccines. | He also said that there is increasing evidence from laboratory studies that the UK variant will be susceptible to vaccines. |
| The government could “not consider” ending England’s current lockdown, Johnson said, until the country’s “very high” infection rates had come down, explaining that it was not just a question of rolling out the vaccine. | The government could “not consider” ending England’s current lockdown, Johnson said, until the country’s “very high” infection rates had come down, explaining that it was not just a question of rolling out the vaccine. |
| England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said that the “peak of deaths may well be in the future,” warning that the situation is “very precarious.” | |
| The UK’s Covid-19 reproduction rate, known as the R number, has dropped from above 1 to between 0.8 and 1.0, the government said earlier on Friday, meaning that, on average, every 10 people with the virus infect between 8 and 10 others. | |
| A further 40,261 Covid-19 cases were reported in the UK on Friday, as well as 1,401 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, taking the total number of people to have died from the virus to almost 96,000. | |
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