South Africa variant: Surge testing rolled out in Ealing
People living in the London boroughs of Ealing and Redbridge are being “strongly encouraged” to take a coronavirus test when offered one after the South African variant of Covid-19 was detected in the areas.
Surge testing and genomic sequencing is being rolled out in the west London borough after cases of the strain, which has been described as a “variant of concern”, were identified.
The Department for Health said a “small number” of cases has been found so far, adding that the efforts will allow health authorities to sequence any positive cases for genomic data to aid in their understanding of virus variants and their spread.
Surge testing in response to a case in the postcode of W7 in Ealing has now been completed.
Further testing is now being rolled out across the borough after a small number of confirmed cases of the South African strain were detected in Acton, Greenford, Southall and West Ealing. The cases are not believed to be linked to international travel.
Meanwhile, additional testing and sequencing is also being deployed to a targeted area within the IG1 postcode in Redbridge, east London.
People with coronavirus symptoms should book a free test online or by phone to get tested at a site or at home. They will be offered a PCR test.
Those without symptoms should consult their local authority’s website to book a rapid lateral flow device test. Positive results will be followed up with a PCR test in order to run sequencing on these cases.
Surge testing for the South African variant has been deployed in several areas across England recently, including targeted areas within Norfolk, Southampton and Woking, Surrey, as well as several London boroughs and Brentwood, Essex.
Residents in Middlesbrough, Walsall and Hampshire were also encouraged to get tested last week after the variant was discovered.
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