SURGE testing for the Indian variant of coronavirus is due to be rolled out across Ealing and four other West London boroughs from today, the BBC has announced.

Brent, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow will join Ealing in this round of surge testing, as cases of the new variant have risen locally from 400 to 720.

It will target secondary schools in the five boroughs and PCR tests will be offered to everyone else in the area that doesn't have symptoms.

According to the BBC, most of the cases of the variant have been found in younger people, hence the decision to target schools.

The authorities hope that by doing this, they will prevent the variant spreading to older people in these areas who have not yet been vaccinated.

More supplies of vaccines for the five boroughs have also been promised.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "Due to the spread of cases of the COVID-19 variant of concern first discovered in India, enhanced testing will take place in targeted settings in four more boroughs in the capital.

"Hillingdon, Harrow, Brent and Ealing will join Hounslow in introducing targeted surge testing to identify this variant and stop it spreading further.

"I've met with NHS London, Public Health England and local health officials, and together we will continue to take the necessary action to protect Londoners.

"I urge everyone who lives, studies or works in these five boroughs to visit the website of their local authority for more details and to take a test as soon as they are offered it.

"It's vital that everyone also accepts the vaccine as soon as possible and I continue to urge the Government to increase the availability of the vaccine to younger age groups who live where this variant is spreading.

"We've worked incredibly hard to reduce the number of cases in London and it's important we all continue to do what we can to reduce the spread of the virus."

This is the second time Ealing has been subject to surge testing, after certain parts of the borough underwent surge testing in February due to the discovery of the South African variant locally.

Ealing Council has been approached for comment.