Surge testing in Ealing and Redbridge after cases of South Africa Covid-19 variant found

25 February 2021, 11:26 | Updated: 25 February 2021, 14:13

Surge testing is being deployed in Ealing in London after a "small number" of additional cases of the South Africa Covid-19 variant were identified.

Cases have been identified in Acton, Greenford, Southall and West Ealing.

People living in Ealing are being encouraged to take a COVID-19 test when offered, and people with symptoms are being told to book a free test online or by phone to get tested at a testing site or have a testing kit sent to them at home.

Additional testing was also being rolled out today in the IG1 postcode in Redbridge, where the cases of the variant first identified in South Africa were been found.

Yesterday surge testing for the South Africa variant was rolled out to those within the HP10 postcode in Buckinghamshire, near High Wycombe, and the SW8 and SW9 postcodes in Lambeth, south London, which includes parts of Vauxhall and Brixton.

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A government spokeswoman said: "Further targeted areas will have additional testing made available to control and suppress the potential spread of a Covid-19 variant.

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"Working in partnership with the local authorities, additional testing and genomic sequencing is being deployed to targeted areas within the HP10 postcode in Buckinghamshire and SW8 and SW9 postcodes in Lambeth, where the Covid-19 variant first identified in South Africa has been found.

"The increased testing is being introduced in addition to existing extensive testing and, in combination with the current lockdown rules and remembering Hands Face Space advice, will help to monitor and suppress the spread of the virus."