Hertfordshire health chief says Covid cases of Indian variant 'small'

Jim McManus has confirmed that Hertfordshire County Council has been made aware by Public Health England of a "small number" of cases in Hertfordshire.

It comes after Watford's mayor said he had been told that some cases of the Indian variant had been found in his town.

Meanwhile new data from the Wellcome Sanger Institute has revealed cases of the India variant were identified in nine out of Hertfordshire's ten districts in the week ending May 8.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon that the government were aware of 2,323 confirmed cases of the Indian variant in the UK and extra testing and vaccinations are being carried out in hotspots like Bolton.

Scientists believe the variant does not cause more severe disease than the currently dominant Kent variant, and indications are that vaccines are also effective - but the new strain has been designated a "variant of concern" because it is thought to be as much as "50 per cent more transmissible" than the Kent strain, according to the Scientific Advisory Group for emergencies (SAGE).

See more: Cases of Indian variant of coronavirus confirmed in Watford - the latest data on Covid cases by location, patients in hospital, deaths, and vaccinations in the town

Matt Hancock speaking in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon. Credit: PA

This lunchtime, Hertfordshire public health chief Jim McManus said: "We have been notified by Public Health England (PHE) of a small number of cases of the Indian variant of coronavirus in Hertfordshire.

"I would like to stress that we expect variant cases and are prepared for them.

"Since these numbers are very low, they are not an imminent or serious cause for concern and, along with PHE, we continue to contact trace these cases comprehensively, to support them to self-isolate and to monitor the data very closely, as we do with all variants across Hertfordshire.

"We have arrangements in place for managing cases and outbreaks of variants, and were prepared for this. We are ready to take the appropriate action and have plans in place if needed to protect our residents.

"The most important thing for people who test positive to do remains to self-isolate. This will stop the spread of any variant in its tracks."

Jim McManus, Hertfordshire County Council's director of public health.

Mr McManus has encouraged those eligible to take the Covid vaccine to take the opportunity when offered.

Last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the gap between first and second doses for over 50s and the clinically vulnerable would be cut from 12 weeks to eight weeks, following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Invitations are going out to 37-year-olds to get the coronavirus jab, to be followed on Wednesday by 36-year-olds as the rollout moves down the age groups.

File photo of a sign to a Covid vaccination centre. Credit: PA

Mr McManus said: "For everyone else, it remains vital that you get the vaccine when you are eligible and when it is offered. Despite restrictions being eased, the virus and new variants are still circulating.

"It remains absolutely essential that we all keep doing the basics to prevent transmission of any variant of the virus, by wearing a face-covering when required, washing our hands regularly and social-distancing.

"Testing, as well as self-isolating if you are infected, remains crucial."