THE first case of the Indian variant of coronavirus has been detected in Maldon.

Public Health England has been tracking the spread of the 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 that the vast majority of the S-gene specimens identified across England are the Indian variant.

PHE data shows one positive case of the S-gene was identified in Maldon by May 25, from samples taken in the week to May 21.

The health body had not identified any cases before that point.

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

The data shows 11,403 S-gene positive cases were recorded in England between the start of March and May 25.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said up to three-quarters of new coronavirus cases nationally are the Indian variant, though he stressed the vaccines are helping to keep hospital admissions down.

During a recent Downing Street press conference, Mr Hancock said: "The latest estimates are that more than half and potentially as many as three-quarters of all new cases are now of this variant.

"As we set out our road map we always expected cases to rise, we must remain vigilant.

“The aim, of course, is to break the link to hospitalisations and deaths so that cases alone no longer require stringent restrictions on people’s lives.”

Professor Christina Pagel, from University College London and a member of Independent Sage – an independent group of scientists providing Covid advice – says the planned easing of all coronavirus restrictions on June 21 should be delayed.

She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think what’s demoralising is having a third wave.

“If we can just delay international travel, delay stage four of the road map until we have a much higher proportion of people vaccinated with two doses, we’re in a much, much better position.

“We’re only two months away from that, it’s not long to wait. What I don’t want is for us to have new restrictions.”