Coronavirus news: London now UK’s Covid hotspot and Test and Trace cuts Christmas hours

Another new coronavirus variant appears to have emerged in Nigeria, Africa's top public health official has said, but it is unclear if it will have a significant effect on transmission rates.

“It's a separate lineage from the UK and South Africa [variants]," John Nkengasong told reporters.

Coronavirus mutations occur relatively frequently and it is not known at this time if this variant will be able to spread faster than other versions.

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More than 1,000 lorries have left the UK since Wednesday evening via the Eurotunnel, and around 2,000 more are expected to be able to leave by the end of Thursday, according to a Road Haulage Association (RHA) official.

Duncan Buchanan, RHA policy director for England and Wales, said ferries had been more difficult to coordinate, so there had been more limited movement at the Port of Dover, where the latest figures from Wednesday showed 6,000 drivers were still stranded.

“This problem has been caused by the French government disregarding good practice,” Mr Buchanan said.

“The idea that you put thousands of people on hold in this way so that they are forced to mingle, will actually do the opposite of what the French government have said they want to do.

“[The coronavirus testing prerequisite] is a ridiculous restriction that should be got rid of straight away, it's an outrage that they are doing this to the hauliers and drivers of Europe who just want to get on with their jobs and get home for Christmas.”

He added: “The most reassuring thing is that food is getting through at Manston, and I have to say a big thank you to everyone who volunteered to help drivers stick it out in cold conditions in the days leading up to Christmas.

“If you want to help the drivers, donate to the Salvation Army who have helped them - a lot of the drivers are still going to be there on Boxing Day.”

The leader of Kent County Council has expressed his “deep sympathy” to the thousands of stranded lorry drivers in the county who will be unable to get home for Christmas following delays at the border with France this week.

Extra portable toilets, food and drinking water is being provided by the council, charities and other groups to the hauliers who are stuck on a former airfield or the main roads into Dover.

Although many are now being tested for Covid-19, with a negative result allowing them to get a ferry or use the Eurotunnel to get to France, it will be too late for many of them.

“The kindness and humanity shown by people who have rallied to provide welfare for those caught up in delays at the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel is amazing,” council leader Roger Gough said.

“I would like to thank all those who are coming forward to help, including charities, businesses, voluntary groups and, of course, our own driver welfare teams.

“The situation should now improve steadily as drivers secure negative Covid-19 test results and are able to continue their journeys into France by ferry or freight train. I have, however, deep sympathy for those for whom this will come too late to spend Christmas with their families.”

London’s rate of new cases of Covid-19 has trebled in just two weeks, according to the latest weekly surveillance report from Public Health England.

The rate stood at 602.2 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to 20 December, up from 200.3 in the seven days to 6 December.

Meanwhile, rates have increased in all regions, with eastern England recording the next highest rate after London (440.7) followed by south-east England (380.6) and the West Midlands (218.8).

Public Health England added that case rates in England had also risen across all age groups.

Israel will join other countries around the world by imposing a new national lockdown to fight surging coronavirus infections over the Christmas period, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced.

The restrictions will come into effect on Sunday evening and last for 14 days, pending final cabinet approval, a statement from Mr Netanyahu's office said.

They include the closure of shops, limited public transport, a partial shutdown of schools and a 1km restriction on travel from home, except for commuting to workplaces that remain open, and to purchase essential goods.

With a population of nine million people, Israel has so far reported more than 385,000 cases of Covid-19 and 3,150 deaths.

Priti Patel has urged police to focus on “high-risk” events in areas of the country with the highest coronavirus transmission rates when enforcing restrictions over the Christmas period.

The Independent understands that police forces have been told to focus on major breaches of restrictions such as house parties, raves and large indoor gatherings through Christmas and the New Year.

Our home affairs correspondent, Lizzie Dearden, has the full story below:

Some 300,000 doses of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine have arrived in Argentina, following its approval by the country’s government for emergency use.

Officials said they expected to start administering the vaccine in the days ahead, joining Russia and Belarus where the vaccine is also being used.

Argentina, which has recorded 42,314 deaths from Covid-19, has also approved the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine.

Russia's Direct Investment Fund, the country's sovereign wealth fund, issued a statement heralding the Christmas Eve arrival of the vaccine in Argentina, saying it had 91.4 per cent efficacy, based on recent trials, and it had 100 per cent efficacy against severe coronavirus cases.

"There were 20 severe cases of coronavirus infection among confirmed cases in the placebo group and no severe cases in the vaccine group," it said.

However, some scientists have raised concerns about the speed at which Russia has worked and its decision to give regulatory approval for its vaccine before full trials to test safety and efficacy had been completed.

The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has called for an overhaul of the country’s Test and Protect system after newly released figures showed more than 300 people waiting almost a week to be interviewed following a positive Covid-19 test.

Willie Rennie also urged Nicola Sturgeon’s government to increase capacity in the system following the discovery of a new faster-spreading coronavirus variant in southeast England.

Our reporter, Joe Middleton, has the full story below:

Our reporter, Samuel Lovett, has put together a guide below to what we know so far about the coronavirus variant detected in the UK:

Rapid-result tests used during Liverpool’s much-heralded mass coronavirus testing pilot failed to detect 60 per cent of all positive cases, according to a new report.

A study sample of 6,000 people who had both the lateral flow test and the gold-standard, lab-based PCR test, it was found the former picked up just two-thirds of positive cases identified by the latter.

Colin Drury has more details in this piece: