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The people of Great Britain were given the go-ahead on Monday to share a hug, drink a pint with dinner indoors, and return to movie theaters and playhouses. But as the U.K. emerges from the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, the spread of the so-called Indian variant of COVID-19 in England is causing concern, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned people to embrace the easing of restrictions "with a heavy dose of caution." (Saberi, 5/17)

The highly transmissible India variant of coronavirus has now been found in 86 districts across the U.K., Health Secretary Matt Hancock said, as he urged the public to stay cautious when meeting friends indoors. Authorities have identified 2,323 cases of the variant as of Monday, with cases doubling in the past week in Bolton and Blackburn in northwestern England, Hancock told the House of Commons on Monday. With 86 local authorities confirmed to have five or more cases of the India variant, Hancock said it was vital that people get vaccinated. Most people with the strain known as B.1.617.2 in areas around Bolton had not received a shot, he said, and early evidence suggests vaccines still work against this variant. (Ashton and Ross, 5/17)

The coronavirus variant that first emerged in India could become the dominant strain of the virus in the U.K. in a matter of days, scientists have warned.The U.K. is detecting a rapid spread of the Covid variant “B.1.617” that first emerged in India last October and is seen as responsible for a wave of infections that has engulfed the south Asian nation in recent months. (Ellyatt, 5/18)

Health officials say they have quarantined the residents of two high-rise buildings in the western German town of Velbert after several people tested positive with the coronavirus variant first detected to India. Officials from the county of Mettmann said “there are currently several infections with the Indian virus variant in Velbert.” (5/18)

The Thai affiliate of Paris-based insurance company AXA said Tuesday it is investigating a ransomware attack by Russian-speaking cybercriminals that has affected operations in Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Philippines. Meanwhile, a cyberattack on a public health provider in New Zealand took down information systems across five hospitals, forcing staff to cancel some elective surgeries and creating all sorts of other problems. (Ekvitthayavechnukul and Perry, 5/18)

The Tokyo 2020 Games start in 66 days but a major Japanese doctors’ group is calling for the already-delayed event to be canceled over fears that the country’s health-care system cannot accommodate the potential medical needs of thousands of international athletes, coaches and media amid a surge of coronavirus cases in the country. “We strongly request that the authorities convince the [International Olympic Committee] that holding the Olympics is difficult and obtain its decision to cancel the Games,” said the Tokyo Medical Practitioners Association. (Ang, 5/18)