Coronavirus news – live: New pathogen strand helping virus ‘spread faster’ as minister admits ‘something went badly wrong’ after outbreak at Scottish test and trace centre

An expert has said a new mutation of Covid-19 is helping outbreaks spread faster around world.

Professor Nick Loman, from the University of Birmingham, who is also part of the Covid-19 Genomics Consortium, said the new strand, known as D614G, has become the most dominant across the globe.

In Scotland, deputy first minister John Swinney said “something has gone badly wrong” at a test and trace facility in Motherwell after 19 people tested positive for Covid-19, including 14 staff members and five other people “connected” to the centre.

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