Covid surge testing: Manchester records 50 more cases
More than 50 Covid-19 cases have been found in south Manchester as surge testing continues.
Testing has been planned after four cases of E484K, a mutation of the Kent strain, were discovered in Moss Side. The city council said people who tested positive for coronavirus had showed no symptoms. A similar approach has been adopted in north Manchester after the mutation of the Kent variant was found in Moston and Harpurhey. The Local Democracy Reporting Service reports all of the people who tested positive in and around Moss Side showed no symptoms of having the virus. Almost 3,000 tests have been given to people living in the area, as well as the neighbouring Whalley Range, Hulme and Fallowfield, since 8 February. Councillor Bev Craig, executive member for adult health and wellbeing at Manchester City Council, said: "We've been able to identify over 50 cases of people without symptoms who have come back positive. "We'll be able to share this for genomic testing so we can better understand across the country the implications of this strain." What is surge testing? Surge testing is the rollout of additional community testing of people who do not have any coronavirus symptoms. It aims to help scientists and public health officials learn more about mutated Covid-19 variants. It will also help reduce the spread of infection by finding asymptomatic cases and prompting people to self-isolate. Manchester's infection rates have fallen to 190 cases per 100,000 people - but it is still higher than the English average of 142 per 100,000. Covid-19 prevalence among the over-60s has also fallen to 170 cases per 100,000. More than 97,000 people in the city had received their first dose of the vaccine by 16 February. The council is working towards delivering 214,000 vaccines by mid-April. Councillor Craig said there are challenges to vaccination uptake which can differ "in terms of geography" but the council is working with those communities to "make sure they have the information and confidence they need." Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk