THE number of confirmed cases of the Indian variant of coronavirus in South Lakeland has been revealed.

The Covid-19 mutation that originated in India – now known as the Delta variant – is now believed to be dominant in the UK, with evidence suggesting it may be more dangerous than the Kent variation.

Figures published by Public Health England show between one and four cases of the Delta variant were recorded in South Lakeland by June 2 – though they could not give an exact figure.

They are among at least 4,874 cases of the VOC-21APR-02 mutation in the North West – the worst affected of England's nine regions.

By contrast, the North East has recorded at least 142 cases so far.

A total of 12,431 cases of the Delta variant had been confirmed in the UK by June 2, up 79 per cent from the previous week’s total of 6,959.

Of these, 10,797 (87 per cent) were in England, 1,511 (12 per cent) in Scotland, 97 in Wales and 26 in Northern Ireland.

A PHE risk assessment found that vaccines were less effective against the strain compared to the Kent mutation – or Alpha variant.

The findings also suggest people are more at risk of hospital admission if infected with the Delta variant, though PHE cautioned that “more data is needed to have more confidence in that finding”.