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Mystery person infected with Brazilian strain of coronavirus found in Croydon

Tammy Hughes
·2-min read
<p>Matt Hancock gives an update on the coronavirus covid-19 pandemic during a virtual press conference inside 10 Downing Street </p> (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Matt Hancock gives an update on the coronavirus covid-19 pandemic during a virtual press conference inside 10 Downing Street

(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The mystery person diagnosed with the Brazilian strain of coronavirus has been found in Croydon after a huge search.

Health secretary Matt Hancock told a Downing Street briefing on Friday that the person in question “stayed at home” and there was no evidence of “onward transmission”.

However, he said extra testing would be carried out in the south London borough as a precaution.

Six cases of the P1 variant, first identified in the Brazilian city of Manaus, have been found – three in Scotland and three in England

A public appeal was made for one of those people in England to come forward after they took a test in February but left no contact details.

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Earlier this weekMatt Hancock said the search had narrowed to just 300 households in Gloucestershire.

Authorities are concerned about the Brazilian strain of coronavirus, which was first detected in the city of Manaus because they fear it may prove more resistant to vaccines.

The P.1 variant has been detected in more than 25 countries including Belgium, Sweden and the UK.

Research released this week found that the strain is up to twice as transmissible as some others.

However, a source told Reuters news agency that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was effective on the Manaus strain.

The anonymous source said preliminary data from a University of Oxford study reportedly shows that the jab doesn’t need to be modified to protect against the strain.

They said the full results of the study are expected to be released soon - possibly later this month.

Brazil is currently facing a deadly second wave of the coronavirus, leaving its health system in crisis.

More than 260,000 people have died with Covid-19, Brazil’s health ministry says, making this the second-highest pandemic death toll in the world behind the United States

On Thursday, another 1,699 deaths were added to that tally, a slight decrease on Wednesday’s record 1,910.

Meanwhile, a further 75,102 cases of coronavirus were reported, making it the second-highest daily rise on record.

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