UP to two cases of the Indian variant of coronavirus were detected in Brighton and Hove last week, figures reveal.

Public Health England has been tracking the spread of the B.1.617.2 mutation – which originated in India – by testing positive Covid-19 cases across the country for an "S-gene".

The gene is not present in the dominant Kent variant, which was responsible for a surge in cases over the winter, but is present in other variants of concern, including those from India.

Scientists have determined the vast majority of the S-gene specimens identified across England in May are the Indian variant.

The Argus:

PHE identified two positive cases of the S-gene in Brighton and Hove between May 8 and May 14.

The health body had previously reported two cases were also detected in the area between May 2 and May 8, but warned it has counted any tests conducted on May 8 twice.

The majority of areas in England have now reported at least one case.

The data shows 6,729 S-gene positive cases were recorded in England between the start of March and May 11 – up from 4,363 by May 5.

Of these, 408 - six per cent - were in the South East – the sixth largest proportion of England's nine regions, but well behind the North West, where there are almost 3,000.

The data comes as a separate PHE study found both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were highly effective against the Indian strain after a second dose.

The same study found they were only 33 per cent effective three weeks after the first dose, however.

The Argus:

From June 21 at the earliest, nightclubs are due to reopen and restrictions on large events such as festivals are to be lifted, as are restrictions on the number of people at weddings.

But Professor Adam Finn, a member of the government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, believes there may be “adjustment” to the lifting of restrictions.

Asked how likely it is that measures will be lifted on that date, he told Times Radio on Sunday: “We’re effectively in a race with the vaccine programme against the virus.

“We know that we’re letting the virus out by spreading it about now, we know that we’re progressing well with the vaccine programme, but I think there’s going to need to be an adjustment of some sort.”