Delta variant 30-100% more transmissible, says UK Covid expert

[Northerner]

The Delta variant of coronavirus, first discovered in India, is anywhere between 30% to 100% more transmissible than the previously dominant Alpha (or Kent) variant, according to Prof Neil Ferguson, whose Covid modelling was key to the UK’s first lockdown.

Ferguson is a leading epidemiologist at Imperial College London who advised the government at the beginning of the pandemic.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We’re certainly getting more data. Unfortunately, the news is not as positive as I would like in any respect about the Delta variant. The best estimate at the moment is this variant maybe 60% more transmissible than the Alpha [Kent] variant.

“There’s some uncertainty around that depending on assumption and how you analyse the data, between about 30% and maybe even up to 100% more transmissible.”

UK reports 6,238 daily Covid cases amid fears over Delta variant infectiousness

Prof Neil Ferguson says India variant may be 30-100% more transmissible than the Alpha variant

www.theguardian.com

 

[Eddy Edson]

A Delta case popped up in Oz today out of nowhere. Sneaky! Hopefully a further impetus to people to frikkn get vaxed and the govt to frikkn get its distribution and messaging sorted.

 

[nonethewiser]

Frightening stats.

Is it something like half of population now vaccinated, if so need final big push to get rest done before this virus takes more lives, enough have been lost already.

 

[Ljc]

I have not read the report yet .
Listening to the news yesterday morning it was reported that the reported cases of Delta had gone up by 78% , not sure if his was in the uk or just England .

 

[pm133]

This Indian variant has been around for ages now.

Perhaps someone can point me towards any research showing that there's a link between rising cases and an increase in deaths and hospitalisations amongst doubly vaccinated people. The last I heard was that there are almost no doubly vaccinated people affected by this and that the vast majority of hospitalisations/deaths were those who were completely unvaccinated.