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Covid: Indian variant in Essex 'not linked to travel'

Most of the cases of เล่น สล็อต ทุนน้อยไม่ต้องฝากก่อน the Indian Covid variant found in seven households in Chelmsford are not linked to foreign travel, a council has said.

The Essex city is one of 86 local authorities with five or more confirmed cases of the variant.

Essex County Council said it was "likely the variant is present in the community".

Director of public health for Essex, Dr Mike Gogarty, said the new variant "proves we can't let down our guard".

The authority has begun enhanced community tracing and testing in locations visited by those who tested positive for the Indian Covid variant.

'Cause for caution'

It is understood two schools in Chelmsford will be carrying out PCR testing among their students and staff.

Residents in Chelmsford have also been asked to carry out lateral flow tests as soon as possible and follow up a positive test with a PCR test, which will be analysed to see if it is the Indian variant.

John Spence from Essex County Council said it was "no great surprise that this variant has emerged somewhere in Essex".

He said: "We all want restrictions to be eased, so we want to nip this in the bud - it is not a cause for huge concern, but it is a cause for caution, and this is precautionary."

According to the latest figures, in the week up to 13 May, Chelmsford had 23 cases of Covid-19, a rate of 12.9 cases per 100,000 people, lower than the England-wide average of 22.6 cases per 100,000 people.