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UK begins door-to-door testing as new COVID variants spread

Britain begins a door-to-door COVID-19 testing of 80,000 people on Tuesday in a bid to stem the spread of a new highly infectious so-called South African variant of the novel coronavirus.
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A commuter wears a mask whilst walking across London Bridge into the City of London during the morning rush hour on March 18, 2020 as people take precautions amid the coronavirus outbreak. - The British government will on Wednesday unveil a raft of emergency powers to deal with the coronavirus epidemic, including proposals allowing police to detain potentially infected people to be tested. (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Britain begins a door-to-door COVID-19 testing of 80,000 people on Tuesday in a bid to stem the spread of a new highly infectious so-called South African variant of the novel coronavirus.

Public Health England said it had identified a total of 105 cases of the South African variant since December 22, and to contain new outbreaks, residents in eight areas of the country will now be tested whether or not they are showing symptoms, a process known as “surge testing”.

There are about 10,000 people in each area. Three are in London, two in the southeast, one in central England, one in the east and another in the northwest.

Those in the affected areas will be tested, even if they are asymptomatic, to break any chain of transmission in the community.

“It is concerning - it’s deeply concerning,” Junior Education Minister Michelle Donelan told Sky. “It’s still a very perilous stage of this virus and we’ve got these new variants spreading.”

(Reuters)