THE South African variant of Covid-19 has been identified in Southampton, it has been revealed, with people in certain postcodes being asked to take a test. 

A case of the variant has been found in the SO15 5 area of Southampton. 

Health bosses said it cannot be traced back to international travel.

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Every person aged 16 or over living in the following postcodes is encouraged to take a test:

  • SO15 5AG,
  • SO15 5AH,
  • SO15 5AJ,
  • SO15 5AL,
  • SO15 5AN,
  • SO15 5AP,
  • SO15 5AQ,
  • SO15 5AR,
  • SO15 5AS,
  • SO15 5AT,
  • SO15 5AU,
  • SO15 5AW,
  • SO15 5AX,
  • SO15 5AY,
  • SO15 5AZ,
  • SO15 5BA,
  • SO15 5BB,
  • SO15 5BD,
  • SO15 5BE,
  • SO15 5BF,
  • SO15 5BG,
  • SO15 5BH,
  • SO15 5BJ,
  • SO15 5BL,
  • SO15 5BN,
  • SO15 5BP,
  • SO15 5BQ,
  • SO15 5BR,
  • SO15 5BS,
  • SO15 5BT,
  • SO15 5BU,
  • SO15 5BW,
  • SO15 5BX,
  • SO15 5BY,
  • SO15 5BZ,
  • SO15 5DA,
  • SO15 5DB,
  • SO15 5DD,
  • SO15 5DE,
  • SO15 5DF,
  • SO15 5DG,
  • SO15 5DH,
  • SO15 5DJ,
  • SO15 5DL,
  • SO15 5DN,
  • SO15 5DP,
  • SO15 5DQ,
  • SO15 5DR,
  • SO15 5DS,
  • SO15 5DT,
  • SO15 5DU,
  • SO15 5DW,
  • SO15 5DX,
  • SO15 5DY,
  • SO15 5DZ,
  • SO15 5EA,
  • SO15 5EB,
  • SO15 5ED,
  • SO15 5EE,
  • SO15 5EF,
  • SO15 5EG,
  • SO15 5EH,
  • SO15 5EJ,
  • SO15 5EL,
  • SO15 5EN,
  • SO15 5EP,
  • SO15 5EQ,
  • SO15 5ER,
  • SO15 5ES,
  • SO15 5ET,
  • SO15 5EU,
  • SO15 5EW,
  • SO15 5EX,
  • SO15 5EY,
  • SO15 5EZ,
  • SO15 5FB,
  • SO15 5FD,
  • SO15 5FE,
  • SO15 5FF,
  • SO15 5FG,
  • SO15 5FH,
  • SO15 5FJ,
  • SO15 5FL,
  • SO15 5FN,
  • SO15 5FP,
  • SO15 5FQ,
  • SO15 5FR,
  • SO15 5FS,
  • SO15 5FT,
  • SO15 5FU,
  • SO15 5FW,
  • SO15 5FX,
  • SO15 5FY,
  • SO15 5FZ,
  • SO15 5GA,
  • SO15 5GB,
  • SO15 5GD,
  • SO15 5GE,
  • SO15 5GF,
  • SO15 5GG,
  • SO15 5GH,
  • SO15 5GJ,
  • SO15 5GL,
  • SO15 5GN,
  • SO15 5GP,
  • SO15 5GQ,
  • SO15 5GR,
  • SO15 5GS,
  • SO15 5GT,
  • SO15 5GU,
  • SO15 5GW,
  • SO15 5GX,
  • SO15 5GY,
  • SO15 5GZ,
  • SO15 5HA,
  • SO15 5HB,
  • SO15 5HD,
  • SO15 5HE,
  • SO15 5HF,
  • SO15 5HG,
  • SO15 5HH,
  • SO15 5HJ,
  • SO15 5HL,
  • SO15 5HN,
  • SO15 5HP,
  • SO15 5HQ,
  • SO15 5HR,
  • SO15 5HS,
  • SO15 5HT,
  • SO15 5HU,
  • SO15 5HW,
  • SO15 5HX,
  • SO15 5HY,
  • SO15 5HZ,
  • SO15 5JA,
  • SO15 5JB,
  • SO15 5JD,
  • SO15 5JE,
  • SO15 5JF,
  • SO15 5JG,
  • SO15 5JH,
  • SO15 5JJ,
  • SO15 5JL,
  • SO15 5JN,
  • SO15 5JP,
  • SO15 5JQ,
  • SO15 5JR,
  • SO15 5JS,
  • SO15 5JT,
  • SO15 5JU,
  • SO15 5JW,
  • SO15 5JX,
  • SO15 5JY,
  • SO15 5JZ,
  • SO15 5LA,
  • SO15 5LB,
  • SO15 5LF,
  • SO15 5LG,
  • SO15 5LH,
  • SO15 5LL,
  • SO15 5LN,
  • SO15 5LP,  
  • SO15 5LS,
  • SO15 5LU,
  • SO15 5LW,
  • SO15 5LX,
  • SO15 5LY,
  • SO15 5LZ,
  • SO15 5NA,
  • SO15 5NB,
  • SO15 5ND,
  • SO15 5NF,
  • SO15 5NG,
  • SO15 5NH,
  • SO15 5NJ,
  • SO15 5NL,
  • SO15 5NN,
  • SO15 5NP,
  • SO15 5NQ,
  • SO15 5NR,
  • SO15 5NS,
  • SO15 5NT,
  • SO15 5NU,
  • SO15 5NW,
  • SO15 5NX,
  • SO15 5NY,
  • SO15 5NZ,
  • SO15 5PB,
  • SO15 5PD,
  • SO15 5PE,
  • SO15 5PF,
  • SO15 5PG,
  • SO15 5PH,
  • SO15 5PJ,
  • SO15 5PL,
  • SO15 5PN,
  • SO15 5PP,
  • SO15 5PQ,
  • SO15 5PR,
  • SO15 5PS,
  • SO15 5PT,
  • SO15 5PU,
  • SO15 5PW,
  • SO15 5PX,
  • SO15 5PY,
  • SO15 5PZ,
  • SO15 5QA,
  • SO15 5QB,
  • SO15 5QD,
  • SO15 5QE,
  • SO15 5QF,
  • SO15 5QG,
  • SO15 5QH,
  • SO15 5QJ,
  • SO15 5QL,
  • SO15 5QN,
  • SO15 5QP,
  • SO15 5QQ,
  • SO15 5QR,
  • SO15 5QS,
  • SO15 5QT,
  • SO15 5QW,
  • SO15 5QX,
  • SO15 5QY,
  • SO15 5QZ,
  • SO15 5RA,
  • SO15 5RB,
  • SO15 5RD,
  • SO15 5RE,
  • SO15 5RF,
  • SO15 5RG,
  • SO15 5RP,
  • SO15 5RQ,
  • SO15 5RS,
  • SO15 5RU,
  • SO15 5RX,
  • SO15 5RZ,
  • SO15 5SA,
  • SO15 5SB,
  • SO15 5SD,
  • SO15 5SE,
  • SO15 5SF,
  • SO15 5SG,
  • SO15 5SH,
  • SO15 5SJ,
  • SO15 5SL,
  • SO15 5SP,
  • SO15 5SQ,
  • SO15 5SR,
  • SO15 5SS,
  • SO15 5SY,
  • SO15 5TA,
  • SO15 5TE,
  • SO15 5TU,
  • SO15 5TW,
  • SO15 5TX,
  • SO15 5TY,
  • SO15 5UQ,
  • SO15 5XE.

Dr Debbie Chase, Director of Public Health at Southampton City Council said:"Contact tracing of the individual has taken place and I would like to reassure people that there is no cause for alarm.

"However, it is important that people aged 16 or over in the identified area take a Covid-19 test as directed.

"While essential travel to work, school, and shopping can still take place in line with government guidance, I would urge everyone in the identified area, and indeed across the city, to stay at home where possible, limit your contact with others, and follow the hands, face, space guidance.”

Councillor Hammond, Leader of Southampton City Council said: “I understand that this may be a cause for concern, but the city has responded amazingly to the pandemic and we now need to call on the support of residents in the identified postcode area to step up once more.

"This programme of targeted testing will help our health experts understand more about the spread of the South African variant and hopefully help us get out of lockdown measures as soon as possible.”