'Some evidence' UK variant of Covid-19 is associated with 'higher degree of mortality' - Johnson

Boris Johnson has said there is some evidence that the new UK variant of coronavirus may be linked to a higher death rate

It comes as the British government said a further 1,401 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Friday, bringing the UK total to 95,981. File picture

The new variant of coronavirus that has emerged in the UK may be associated with a higher mortality rate, Boris Johnson has warned.

The British Prime Minister told a press conference: “We’ve been informed today that in addition to spreading more quickly it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant, the variant that was first identified in London and the South East, may be associated with a higher degree of mortality.”