“This shows the new variant is not tending to penetrate into older, vaccinated groups and it underlines again the importance of getting the jab especially — but not only — amongst the vulnerable age groups,” said British Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

A total of 2,323 cases of the coronavirus variant first detected in India have been recorded in Britain, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Monday.

Speaking at the House of Commons, the lower house of British Parliament, Hancock said the variant is now the dominant strain of the virus in Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen, both in northwest England, with 483 confirmed cases.

According to Hancock, in Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen, cases of the variant have doubled last week.

“In Blackburn, hospitalizations are stable with eight people currently in hospital with COVID, and in Bolton 19 people are now in hospital with coronavirus — the majority of whom are eligible for a vaccine but haven’t yet had a vaccine,” he said.

“This shows the new variant is not tending to penetrate into older, vaccinated groups and it underlines again the importance of getting the jab especially — but not only — amongst the vulnerable age groups.”