direct to your inboxThere are fears a new variant of coronavirus may be speeding up the spread of Covid-19, particularly in south east England.Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there is nothing to suggest this new strain is more likely to cause serious disease.Boris Johnson was reported to have held an unscheduled meeting of ministers on Friday amid “growing concern” about the threat posed by the mutant strain – which is spreading fastest in South East England.Professor Sir Mark Walport – a member of the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) – said there was a real possibility that it could have a “transmission advantage”.“What happens with viruses is they do naturally mutate all the time and the ones that are.