AN animation released by scientists from one of the Government’s network of Covid-19 testing laboratories shows how the new variant of the coronavirus spread across the UK in December.
Lighthouse labs are those managed by Government and run by private companies, that process Covid-19 tests from drive-in sites around the UK.
Alderley Park in Cheshire is able to process 50,000 PCR test samples daily. There, the lab’s scientists were able to map the rise and geographical distribution of the new variant, which showed a rapid increase of numbers and cases across London, East-South East, parts of the North West, the South West and the West Midlands.
They say the graphic clearly demonstrates the need for the national lockdown.
The Thermo Fisher PCR test, used at many of the Lighthouse Lab sites, measures 3 genetic markers of SARS-CoV-2. Lighthouse scientists have shown that the new variant exhibits ‘S-gene dropout’, whereby one of the markers - the S-gene - fails to amplify, but the other two genetic markers (ORF1ab and N) are found, confirming a positive COVID result.
Working with ThermoFisher, the Wellcome Sanger Institute and PHE teams, the Lighthouse Lab network first noted data trends in November.
The Lighthouse data published today shows the rise and geographical distribution of these S-gene target dropout cases from the 1st to the 21st of December 2020. The data shows rapidly increasing numbers of cases of the new variant across London, East-South East, parts of the North West, South West regions and West Midlands.
Areas with the highest incidence in the study correlate with areas now reporting high NHS load and hospitalisation. Ongoing vigilance of the data may also indicate regions that in future will see high infection and hospitalisation rates.
Professor Chris Molloy, CEO of MDC and founding director of the Lighthouse Lab network believes it demonstrates the quality of the science that underpins what is the largest diagnostics project in UK history.
He said: “Today’s high-quality data from the MDC Lighthouse team shows the excellence of its science at a national scale. The Lighthouses are high-powered beacons into the darkness of this disease, combining industrial scientific rigour and close coordination with NHS and PHE in the service of the nation.”
Dr Mark Wigglesworth, Site Director at the Alderley Park Lighthouse Lab and senior author of the report, comments: “Although the speed of the spread is shocking, we’re working really closely with the government to share our scientific discoveries and advancements, which in-turn informs decision making across the devolved nations, so that we can be in the best position to beat the virus.
“While a new national lockdown is not what anyone would have wanted, our scientists’ work in discovering the spread of the new variant will be pivotal in informing government policy, protecting the NHS and saving lives.”
For more information on the findings, please visit: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.14.21249386v1