New spike in Covid cases in the UK, fueled by the contagious Delta (formerly Indian) variant of the virus, with a daily rate of positive tests of 16,135, the highest number since February 2. This is indicated by the data of the British government, which however confirm a more contained increase in the total hospital admissions (now equal to 1508) thanks to vaccination efficacy and even a decrease in deaths, from 27 yesterday to 19. The vaccines administered (others 550,000 in the last 24 hours) now exceed 75 million doses, with 60.2 of the entire adult population fully immunized and 82.5% achieved at least by a first dose.
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The warning from the European Center for Prevention
and disease control
There is a “very high probability” that the Delta variant of the pandemic coronavirus will soon become dominant in the European Union and the European Economic Area (SEE). This was underlined by the ECDC, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, in an update on the risks associated with the mutant reported for the first time in India. «It is expected that 70% of new infections by the beginning of August from Sars-CoV-2 in the EU / See will be caused by this variant “, percentage that will rise to «90% by the end of August», Promises the ECDC. An estimate made on the basis of forecasting models based on the fact that, “according to the available evidence – the experts specify – the Delta variant is 40-60% more transmissible than the Alpha” or English.
On the basis of current evidence – explains the ECDC – the Delta variant, classified as Voc (Variant that arouses concern), in addition to being more transmissible, “can also be associated” with a greater risk of hospitalization. Furthermore – recalls the European Center – there is evidence that those who have received only the first dose of a two-dose vaccination cycle are less protected against the infection caused by the Delta variant, regardless of the type of vaccine. However, full vaccination provides nearly equivalent protection against the Delta variant »to that afforded against other mutants.
As a result, “the assessment of the risk of infection for unvaccinated and partially vaccinated people in the EU / See” has worsened. In particular, the ECDC details, in the general population “the overall risk of Sars-CoV-2 infection related to the expected increase in circulation of the Delta variant is considered low for fully vaccinated subpopulations and high to very high for partially vaccinated ones or not vaccinated ».
As regards the fragile categories, “the overall risk of Sars-CoV-2 infection linked to spreading from the Delta variant is considered low to moderate for fully vaccinated subpopulations, and very high for partially vaccinated or unvaccinated ones”. “Since the last risk assessment published on 10 June, and given the expected future predominance of the Delta variant – the experts add – the risk has increased for countries in all epidemiological situations. Without the continuous application of non-pharmaceutical measures “to combat Covid-19, and without” a further rapid implementation of complete vaccination – warns the European Center – sharp increases in new infections, hospitalizations and deaths can be observed “.