<p>The strain has also spread to more than 60 nations -- including China, where the pandemic began more than a year ago -- according to the World Health Organization (WHO).</p><p>"In addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant... may be associated with a higher degree of mortality," Johnson said at a news conference.</p><p>He blamed the variant for the grim situation engulfing Britain, where another 1,401 fatalities were announced Friday, taking the overall toll to 95,981 -- the highest in Europe.</p><p>Virus deaths have risen 16 percent over the past week, while the number of people hospitalised with Covid-19 is approaching double the number seen during the worst days of the first wave of the pandemic in April.</p><p>Chief government scientist Patrick Vallance said the new variant could be 30-40 percent more deadly for some age groups, although he stressed the assessment relied on sparse data.</p><p>"There's a lot of uncertainty around these numbers and we need more work to get a precise handle on it, but it obviously is of concern," he said, flanking Johnson in Downing Street.</p><p>"You will see that across the different age groups as well, a similar sort of relative increase in the risk."</p><p>- 'Signs of improvement' -</p><p>Britain is in the grip of its third and worst wave of the virus.</p><p>The country is pinning its hopes of a return to normality later this year on the biggest vaccination programme in its history, which began last month.</p><p>Johnson revealed 5.4 million people had now received their first dose of two vaccines currently being administered, with a daily record of 400,000 people inoculated in the last 24 hours.</p><p>"All the current evidence continues to show that both the vaccines we are currently using remain effective both against the old variant and this new variant," he added.</p><p>The government appears on track to meet its pledge to vaccinate 15 million of the most vulnerable by mid-February.</p><p>It is also aiming to inoculate the entire adult population by September at the latest.</p><p>England has been in a third nationwide lockdown since early this month, with similar restrictions in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where devolved administrations are responsible for health policy.</p><p>New Office for National Statistics (ONS) data released Friday showed the stay-at-home order had helped prompt a slight drop in infection rates across England last week.</p><p>On average, one in 55 people have got the virus there, rising to one in 35 in London, it found.</p><p>However, chief medical officer Chris Whitty warned that despite the "signs of improvement" cases remained "at a very high level" and hospitals were still in danger of becoming overwhelmed.</p><p>The government said Friday it was launching a new national campaign featuring hospital staff and Covid-19 patients, in a bid to remind the public of the extreme pressures still facing the state-run health service.</p><p>The "emotive" TV advert "challenges the public to think about the impact their actions might have by asking: 'Can you look them in the eyes and tell them you're helping by staying at home?'"</p><p>© 2021 AFP</p>
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