LONDON – There is some evidence that a new coronavirus variant first identified in southeast England carries a higher risk of death .than the original strain, the British government’s chief scientific adviser said Friday -- though he stressed that the data is uncertainPatrick Vallance told a news conference that “there is evidence that there is an increased risk for those who have the new variant.” He said the increased risk for a 60-year-old man appeared to be from about one death per 1,000 infections to about 1.3 or 1.4 per 1,000.But Vallance stressed that “the evidence is not yet strong" and more research is needed.In contrast, he said, there is growing confidence that the variant is more easily passed on than the original coronavirus.