The Delta Variant Sounds Pretty Nasty

 

The delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, formerly known as the India variant, is in the process of taking over.  It is estimated to be causing 60% of infections in the UK, and leading to surges in some areas.

Today it was reported that cases are up 74% over the last week. The setback is causing leaders there to ask whether they should reconsider their plans for reopening the country. 

UK health officials estimate that delta is 40% more transmissible than the alpha variant (formerly UK  variant). If memory serves alpha is itself estimated to be 50% more transmissible than the garden-variety virus. So I suppose that would make delta 70% more transmissible than the garden variety?

Not only that but it causes nastier disease. Physicians in India are reporting cases of unusual symptoms like hearing impairment, severe gastric upsets, and blood clots leading to gangrene. Data from the UK suggest it's also more likely to lead to hospitalization.

Now the variant is making its way to other countries. A recent outbreak of 100 cases in China's Guangdong province has caused a general freakout, with resulting lockdowns and a mass testing campaign.

Delta currently accounts for about 6% of cases in the U.S.  Dr. Anthony Fauci said that this may be because more people in the U.S. have two doses of the vaccine, and that we need to accelerate efforts to get people vaccinated to make sure the variant doesn't get a foothold here.

That's because research shows that vaccines are highly effective against the variant so long as people have had two doses. One reason it may be causing problems in the UK is that many people there have had only one dose as a result of a government gamble on withholding the second shot to get wider one-shot coverage.

Header image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

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