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The highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus, which surpassed all other variants in the United States just a few months ago, now accounts for more than 99% of cases tracked in the country, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The variant caused an increase in the number of cases in Britain and India this spring and summer, and in both countries, outbreaks resurfaced after cases appeared to be on the decline. The Delta variant fueled epidemics in the United States throughout the summer, its contagiousness taking advantage of the number of people who have resisted Covid-19 vaccinations.
Data on the prevalence of Delta, contained in the CDC’s latest bi-weekly report on the sequencing of the virus, shows that it has gone from just over a quarter of cases in mid-June to near total dominance in September.
“This is not unexpected, because it is more transmissible, but it is also a strong reminder that we must have continued vigilance,” said Dr Saskia Popescu, epidemiologist and assistant professor at George Mason University.
CDC’s COVID Data Tracker, reporting results for the two-week period ending 9/11, places Delta’s B.1.617.2 line at 99.4% among variants of concern, with two more Delta lines being tracked at 0 , 2% and 0.1%, the Mu variant – first detected in January in Colombia – at 0.1 percent and several other unidentified variants at 0.2 percent. This data is based on thousands of sequences provided each week as part of the CDC’s national genomic surveillance efforts, according to the agency’s website.
The country has recently seen an increase in hospitalizations, despite the availability of highly protective vaccines, and the Delta variant has been cited as the cause.
“We are seeing more children in the hospital now because the Delta variant is more easily transmitted between everyone, adults and children,” said Dr Anthony S. Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease physician, to the New York Times on September 9. .
Dr Popescu said Delta’s rise to power should help Americans and health officials realize that the coronavirus remains a serious threat to public health.
“The biggest thing is, ‘Don’t let your guard down. “We need continuous surveillance, genome sequencing, access to testing and public health interventions,” said Dr Popescu.
Vaccination and wearing masks can help, she said.
“We have a transmission that occurs with very limited exposure, which means that, for example, the moments without a mask, when you are out and around others, become much riskier,” said Dr Popescu.
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