The Indian coronavirus variant has been detected in Reading according to new data.

Wellcome Sanger Institute data shows the new strain has found in several areas across Berkshire including in Reading, Slough and Bracknell Forest.

The data does not show how many cases there are, but how many samples have been processed and sequenced.

In the two weeks to May 8, Bracknell Forest had 1.5 genomes per week.

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Reading saw 4 whereas Slough had recorded 6 - the highest in the county.

Reading Chronicle:

Reading Borough Council authorities said there are no plans to surge test, but are closely monitoring the situation on a daily basis.

David Munday, Consultant in Public Health Reading Borough Council, said: "No plans to do surge testing in the wider Reading community at this time but we monitor the local situation regarding variants of concern very closely with Public Health England on a daily basis and will introduce this if it is required.

"There are other things that we can do to keep ourselves safe from COVID-19 and the variants of concern like the one first identified in India.

"Alongside regular testing, vaccination is an essential part of controlling COVID, we are urging residents, when they are eligible for the vaccine to make their appointments as soon as possible.

"The increase in cases recently elsewhere in the country shows us how important it is that we have as high a vaccination rate here in Reading as possible."

Residents who have been vaccinated are urged to test twice a week every week to help identify variants and stop individual cases becoming outbreaks.

It comes after Matt Hancock announced 86 local authorities in the UK have now recorded five or more confirmed cases of the Indian variant of Covid-19.

He told the House of Commons on Monday that while the B1617.2 variant seemed more transmissible, the evidence suggested vaccines were effective against it.

Mr Hancock said there were now 2,323 confirmed cases of B1617.2 in the UK – of which 483 were in Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen, where it is now the dominant strain.

He said cases there had doubled in the last week and were rising in all age groups.