New Thai Covid variant detected in UK
It was first detected in Thailand in cases of people who had originally travelled from Egypt.
It comes a week after PHE declared the so-called Yorkshire variant a "variant under investigation", after a new strain emerged in and around Sheffield, bearing 25 mutations. So far, PHE has detected 109 cases of the new Thai strain in the UK, but officials stressed there is no evidence that the new strain causes more severe disease.
And they stressed there is currently no evidence to suggest the three vaccines being rolled out across the country won't work against the new Thai strain.PHE did not disclose where the cases had been detected but said test and trace has been used to limit the spread. It comes as the latest PHE figures show there are now 6,959 cases of the Indian variant - up from 3,424 last week.In previous weeks, cases were more than doubling in seven days.after ‘vaccine bus’ promises jabs without appointments, NHS number or ID