The United Kingdom on Friday registered 36,800 cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) due to the Delta Covid-19 variant, data issued by Public Health England (PHE) showed. With this, the total number of Covid-19 cases in the UK due to the Delta variant, first detected in India last year, has risen to 253,049 from 216,249 in the previous week, or a rise of 17%, the data showed.
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However, PHE further said there has been no corresponding rise in the number of hospitalisations due to Covid-19 despite a high and rising number of infections, which indicates vaccines are effective against the highly transmissible Delta variant.
“Case rates are still high and rising, but it is encouraging that the increase in cases does not appear to be associated with a similar increase in hospitalisations and deaths. This is a testament to the continued success of the vaccination programme in reducing the incidence of severe disease,” Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said. “The best way to keep yourself and those around you safe is to get both doses of the vaccine as soon as you are eligible. While vaccines do offer excellent protection, they do not completely eliminate risk,” she further said.
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Also, like other experts, Dr Harries, too, sounded caution over July 19, when all legal restrictions related to the Covid-19 induced lockdown in the UK will be lifted. “It is important as ever that we continue to exercise caution. Take your free twice-weekly rapid tests and immediately book a PCR test if you have symptoms. Stay indoors until you receive your test results,” she advised.
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The Delta Plus variant, a mutation of the Delta variant (or the B.1.617.2 strain), accounted for 45 of the 36,800 cases due to the Delta variant, according to the data.
(With PTI inputs)
