Covid 19: Indian variant identified in two areas of Tyneside

Bar customers are being asked to take a PCR test

Outbreaks of the Indian variant of Covid-19 have been identified in two areas of Tyneside.

Customers of Allard's Lounge in Tynemouth are being asked to get tested after a case was linked to the bar.

Anyone who visited the venue on Front Street between 23 April and 3 May is asked to "immediately" book a PCR test, which is processed in a laboratory.

The variant has also been identified in Newcastle, although the number of cases and locations have not been disclosed.

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North Tyneside Council said it was monitoring all coronavirus outbreaks, especially new variants.

Director of public health Wendy Burke said one case linked to Allard's Lounge involved the Indian strain with the authority "working on the likelihood" that a further seven would be confirmed as being the same type.

She added there was "no evidence" it "causes any more serious illness" than other types of Covid-19.

"Certainly no-one [in the UK] has died having the Indian variant and we don't have any evidence that suggests it will not respond to vaccines."

The authority said it had been working closely with the management of Allard's Lounge who were "ensuring that the bar is Covid-secure".

Newcastle City Council did not make public how many cases of the Indian variant it had found or where.

In a statement, it said there had been "small localised outbreaks" of Covid-19 in recent days and that efforts were ongoing to trace people potentially affected.

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North Tyneside had 50 Covid-19 cases in the week to 8 May, up from 37 in the previous seven days.

This equates to a rate of 24 cases per 100,000 people.

There are two test sites in the borough, at The Parks Sports Centre in North Shields and in Coronation Street car park, Wallsend.

Appointments must be booked in advance and can be done online or by calling 119.

Newcastle had 114 cases in the week to 8 May, down from 131 in the previous seven days.

This equates to a rate of 37 cases per 100,000 people.