Boris Johnson warned that the UK variant of …

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that the British variant of the coronavirus, considered much more contagious than the previous ones, too it may be associated with higher mortality.

“Now there also seems to be an indication that the new variant, the one first identified in London and the South East [de Inglaterra], may be associated with higher mortality, ”he said in statements to the press.

The president explained on Friday that due to the impact of this new variant, the British public health system (NHS) is “under greater pressure”, while adding that the vaccines which are administered in the United Kingdom appear be effective against both strains (the original and the British) in the opinion of scientists.

For his part, the main scientific adviser to the government, Patrick Vallance noted that the British variant is between 30% and 70% more contagious than the original, although the reason remains unknown.

Likewise, the scientist assured that there is evidence that this variant poses a greater risk of death than the original, although he clarified that “the evidence is not yet strong”. In fact, this higher mortality was not detected among those admitted to hospital, but it was detected in the total of the positive cases detected.

“In the case of a man in his sixties, the mortality in the country was previously 10 patients per 1,000 patients and now it is estimated to be between 13 and 14 per 1,000”Detailed Vallance.

“There is a lot of uncertainty around these figures, but it is worrying that there has been an increase in mortality, as well as an increase in transmissibility,” he said.

Still, he insisted once again that there was “a lot of uncertainty” about this, although there were also increasing signs that the vaccines were working with the new variant. At this point, Vallance stressed that there are more doubts about the effectiveness of existing vaccines with the strains identified in South Africa and Brazil.

The United Kingdom, one of the countries most affected by the pandemic in Europe, with nearly 96,000 dead, has faced a new wave of infections since the discovery in December of a coronavirus mutation between 50% and 70 % more contagious according to British scientists.

So far, health officials have said the new variant does not seem deadlier and responds well to existing vaccines. Johnson, widely criticized since the start of the pandemic for his erratic health policies, has now placed all his hopes on vaccination so as to be able to lift the third lockout in March.