A FURTHER case of the Indian Covid variant has been detected in Colchester, new figures suggest.

Public Health England (PHE) has been tracking the spread of the B.1.617.2 mutation – which originated in India – by testing positive Covid-19 cases across the country for an "S-gene".

The gene is not present in the dominant Kent variant, which was responsible for a surge in cases over the winter, but is present in other variants of concern, including those from India.

Scientists have determined the vast majority of the S-gene specimens identified across England are the Indian variant.

PHE data shows one positive case of the S-gene was identified in Colchester by May 25, from samples taken in the week to May 21.

The health body did not identify any cases the week before.

But it had previously reported that two cases were detected in the area between May 2-8.

Total Covid case numbers in Colchester remain extremely low, with just five reported in the borough during the week to May 25.

The majority of areas in England have now reported at least one case of the Indian variant.

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The data shows 11,403 S-gene positive cases were recorded in England between the start of March and May 25.

Of these, 1,301 were in the east of England – the third largest proportion of England's nine regions, but well behind the north west, where there were around 5,700 cases.

Recent PHE analysis found that the proportion of confirmed Indian variant specimens among S gene positives nationally is 97 per cent.

During a recent Downing Street press conference, Mr Hancock said: "The latest estimates are that more than half and potentially as many as three-quarters of all new cases are now of this variant.

"As we set out our road map we always expected cases to rise, we must remain vigilant.

“The aim, of course, is to break the link to hospitalisations and deaths so that cases alone no longer require stringent restrictions on people’s lives.”

PHE figures show 6,959 cases of the Indian variant of coronavirus had been confirmed across the UK by May 26 – a rise of 3,535 on the previous week.