The additional surveillance testing for people without Covid symptoms will be available for those living or working in parts of LS8, including parts of Harehills and the area just north of Easterly Road, as well as some small areas outside of LS8.

The testing, to start on Monday (22), will help the council and government understand the level of new variants in the city, so they are better informed and can plan their response.

It follows two cases of Covid-19 picked up in a household in the area in early January.

After receiving positive tests, the residents isolated, notified test and trace teams and no further cases were identified among contacts.

Both residents have since made a full recovery and there has been no evidence of transmission in the wider community.

Testing by Public Health England found the cases could potentially have been an incident of the South African variant, although this could not be fully determined.

People living and working in the community will be given advice on how they can get tested, either through home testing or at the Infinity Centre, Conway Road, near the Bilal Mosque site.

Victoria Eaton, Leeds City Council’s director of Public Health, said: “We want to reassure local residents that the extra testing being announced for people without symptoms is to help us better understand and prepare for new variants in our communities.

“There is absolutely no indication of live cases of the South African variant in the LS8 area, and no evidence of a greater risk of transmission for local people.

"Levels of infection have been falling in these areas of Leeds over recent weeks, in line with improving infection rates right across the city, which is really positive news and we want to do all we can to keep these rates falling.

“Cases of the South African variant also remain very low nationally, and it does not lead to more severe disease and is not thought to be any more contagious than the dominant UK variant.

“This additional testing will allow us to find any potential asymptomatic cases of new variants and build a more detailed, comprehensive picture of where those cases may come from and how they might spread.

“Anyone who is approached to take part would be playing a really important role in national efforts to stay ahead of COVID-19, and we would encourage local residents to take up offers to be tested.”

Leeds City Council chief executive Tom Riordan and leader Judith Blake revealed the news in their latest update: "It is important to note that levels of infection have been falling in these areas of Leeds over recent weeks, in line with improving infection rates right across the city, and there are no additional risks for anyone living or working in the area.

"The best advice still remains to keep safe by thinking hands, face and space and staying at home when you can."

The Department of Health said: “Extra testing is being introduced in addition to existing extensive testing and, in combination with following the current lockdown rules and remembering Hands Face Space advice, will help to monitor and suppress the spread of the virus. Positive cases will be sequenced for genomic data to help understand Covid-19 variants and their spread within these areas.

“People living within this targeted area are strongly encouraged to take a Covid-19 test when offered, whether they are showing symptoms or not.

“People with symptoms should book a test in the usual way and those without symptoms should visit their local authority website for more information.”

Cllr Salma Arif (Harehills Ward) and Cllr Jacob Goddard (Roundhay Ward) said: “We very much welcome this proactive approach to continuing to shape our response to Covid-19 in Leeds.

"Whilst transmission levels are reducing in this area, implementing this time limited additional testing for case finding around our popular neighbourhood shopping centres fits well with the proactive engagement work that is already taking place between partners, businesses and the local community in this area of our two neighbouring wards”.

The Leeds seven-day infection rate is now below 200 at 166.4 per 100,000 (down 20% in last 7 days), with the rate for those over 60 at 123.0 (down 28% in last 7 days) and the positivity rate for Leeds has also dropped and is now 8.1%.

The latest estimate on vaccinations is that there have been approximately 175,000 delivered in Leeds, with high percentages of the top priority groups having received their first jab.

The NHS in Leeds remains under pressure with more people having to stay in hospital longer.

Additional Covid testing to take place in these Leeds areas after cases of new variant found