06 May 2024,   00:38
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UK - up to 75% of cases are Indian variant as average age of new infections falls to just 29

Up to three quarters of new Covid cases in the UK are the variant first discovered in India, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

Mr Hancock said it was critical to monitor the data to see if there was any link between a rise in cases and hospitalisations. Public Health England data shows cases of the variant have risen by 3,535 to 6,959 in the past week.

It comes as the average of the those testing positive for Covid has fallen to just 29, the youngest yet recorded - showing the impact of the vaccine rollout in the UK.

According to analysis by The Times, two thirds of those admitted to hospital with Covid-19 were under 65.

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