London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 07, 2025

90% of UK Covid cases came from Spanish strain, study shows

90% of UK Covid cases came from Spanish strain, study shows

Holidaymakers were key in spreading a variant of coronavirus across Europe that is behind 90 percent of cases in the UK, after a super-spreader event among Spanish farmers sparked a countrywide infection.
Research showed that the Spanish strain accounted for 90 percent of sequences from the UK, 60 percent from Ireland, 40 percent from the Netherlands, 30 percent from Switzerland and has been identified in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Norway, and Sweden.

The strain of the virus, 20A.EU1, started among farm workers in Spain, spread throughout the local population, and was carried by people returning from holiday to countries across Europe, helping to proliferate the spread of the disease, and resulting in cases soaring across the continent.

Researchers at the University of Basel, at ETH Zürich in Basel, and in the SeqCOVID-Spain consortium analyzed the spread of coronavirus across Europe and linked it back to “loosening” social distancing measures this summer.

The study criticized the lack of screening of passengers at airports and the failure to enforce and follow proper quarantine measures, which created a “good environment” where the virus was able to spread widely.

Dr. Emma Hodcroft, an evolutionary geneticist at the University of Basel, and one of the authors of the study, told the BBC: “Rising cases in Spain, combined with that increase in holiday travel, allowed the virus to move to many different countries across Europe and, when it got there, it was able to spread quite successfully”.

Her colleagues were clear to state that closing borders and introducing travel restrictions for long periods of time is not “feasible or desirable.” However, they highlighted that their work showed it is “critical” for countries who have brought their case numbers under control to explore more effective and efficient ways to “open up without risking a rise in cases.”

As of October 30, nearly seven million cases of coronavirus and more than 217,000 deaths have been confirmed across Europe, with France, Italy, Spain, and the UK experiencing significant spikes in case numbers in recent weeks.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
×