Coronavirus: Portsmouth South MP calls on Matt Hancock to share data on how new Covid strain is affecting the city

Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan has called on government to urgently provide data about the threat posed to Portsmouth by the new variant of coronavirus, and to undertake more sophisticated testing to track its spread within the community.

Prime minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday night that areas of the south east that were in tier 3 would be moved into tier 4 with Christmas bubble plans cancelled and changed across England amid concerns over the rapid spread of a new variant of coronavirus which he said ‘may be up to 70 per cent more transmissible than the old variant’.

England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty said screening tests suggested that in the south east 43 per cent of the virus was now the new variant.

Public Health England said there is no evidence that the variant causes more severe disease or higher mortality.

Director of public health at Portsmouth City Council, Helen Atkinson confirmed to The News today that the council had not yet been provided with local information about the new Covid variant strain.

Mr Morgan said: ‘Throughout this crisis the government has been two steps behind, and it is our communities and front-line workers that have paid the price.

‘Time is of the essence, so I am today urging the government to share data and improve testing to make sure we can quickly understand the scale of the challenge we nowface, protect ourselves and our NHS. We cannot be caught on the backfoot again.

‘The new variant appears to spread the infection at a much faster rate than the original strain, posing renewed risk to our city and threatening to overwhelm local health services.

‘Whilst I have asked for clarity from ministers in parliament on the new variant and what this will mean for our area, the answers have not been forthcoming.’

Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt tweeted yesterday that she had a two hour meeting with the cabinet, Professor Chris Whitty and UK government chief science adviser Sir Patrick Vallance regarding the new variant and consequences of tier four restrictions but she is yet to give an update on details from the meeting.

SEE ALSO: Portsmouth traders 'fuming' over sudden Tier 4 announcement coming after thousands of pounds spent on Christmas stock

Gosport Borough Council, Councillor Mark Hook also has questions for the government after the borough was put in tier four.

Speaking on Saturday night, he said: ‘As of today Gosport's infection rate is 144 per 100,000 so I can't understand why we have been moved into tier four when some of our neighbouring areas remain in tier two and I've asked the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to explain the decision.’

It comes after pressures at Queen Alexandra Hospital have been increasing in the last few weeks. Medical director Dr John Knighton said that staff had been working extra shift and longer hours to cope with the demand.

Latest NHS England figures show that Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust was caring for 223 coronavirus patients in hospital as of December 15, up from 149 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 increased by 68 per cent in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 133.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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