[ad_1]
Officials in the UK say the UK variant of the new coronavirus may be more deadly than other strains, but stress that the evidence is still very uncertain.
This variant, called B.1.1.7, was first identified in Kent, England in September 2020 and has since spread around the world. This variant is more contagious, with studies showing that it is approximately 50 to 70% more transmissible than other widely circulating strains, Previously reported Live Science.
“In addition to spreading faster, it now appears that there is evidence that the new variant … may be associated with a higher degree of mortality,” said UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at a press conference Friday (January 22).
The data comes from several preliminary studies on death rates in people with the new variant compared to rates related to other strains, according to the BBC. For example, a study by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine looked at 2,583 deaths among 1.2 million people tested for coronavirus in the UK and found that those with the new variant were around 30% more likely to die in 28 days. period compared to those infected with other strains, according to data published by the UK government.
To put this increase in context, Patrick Valance, the UK’s chief scientific adviser, told the press conference that out of a population of 1,000 people in their 60s infected with other strains, around 10 people are expected to die. , but with the new variant. , the number of deaths would drop to 13 per 1,000.
However, the first cases analyzed may not be representative of the total population. Moreover, officials only see this increase in mortality when they examine the larger population of anyone who tests positive for the virus. When they only look at those who are hospitalized, they don’t see an increase in mortality with the new variant. However, officials noted that the time between hospitalization and death can be relatively long and that additional data in the coming weeks will make their analysis more definitive.
The evidence “is not yet strong,” Valance said. “There is a lot of uncertainty around these numbers, and we need more work to get a clear picture of that.”
But officials stressed that all current evidence shows that COVID-19 vaccines are as effective against the new variant as they are against other strains.
Originally posted on Live Science.
[ad_2]
Source link