Delta Variant Is Crazy, COVID-19 Infection Cases In The UK Increase By 50 Percent

Illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Fars News Agency/Mohsen Atayi)

JAKARTA - The British research team said the Delta variant of the coronavirus had driven an increase in cases of COVID-19 infection in the UK in the last month since last May.

In a prevalence study led by Imperial College, it was stated that the Delta variant, which was first identified in India, led to a 50 percent spike in cases of COVID-19 infection

The UK government said the data supported Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decision to delay the end of COVID-19 restrictions in the UK until July 19. The considerations, the threat of the Delta variant, and the need to vaccinate more people.

The latest round of the REACT-1 prevalence survey, conducted between May 20 and June 7, found a prevalence of 0.15 percent, compared with 0.10 percent in the last data set in late April to early May.

"The prevalence is increasing exponentially, driven by younger age and seems to be doubling every 11 days. Obviously, that's bad news," said Steven Riley, Professor of Infectious Disease Dynamics at Imperial College London.

The study is one of the largest prevalence surveys in the UK, with 109,000 volunteers tested in its latest round. Riley added that the UK's high vaccination rate makes it difficult to predict how long the exponential growth will last.

More than half of the UK's adult population has received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and more than three-quarters of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Although the Delta variant has been shown to substantially reduce the effectiveness of one vaccine dose against mild infections, two doses still provide good protection against severe disease, preliminary evidence has shown.

"These findings highlight the real context in which we took the difficult decision to postpone Step 4 of our roadmap out of lockdown," said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock, referring to the lifting of the UK's last remaining restrictions.

"We must all hold our courage a little longer as our vaccine rollout continues," he said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Boris Johnson postponed his plan to lift most of the remaining one-month COVID-19 restrictions on Monday, due to the rapid spread of the more contagious Delta variant.

"I think it makes sense to wait a little longer. As is the case and on the evidence, I can see now, I believe we won't need more than four weeks," said PM Johnson.

"With caution now, we have the opportunity in the next four weeks to save thousands of lives by vaccinating millions more."

The UK has officially reported nearly 128,000 deaths from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, the seventh-highest number globally.