Covid Delta variant 40% more transmissible
The Delta variant of Covid-19 first detected in India which is spreading widely in the UK is believed to be 40 per cent more transmissible than previous mutations of the virus, the health secretary has said.
During an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Marr on Sunday morning, Matt Hancock said the heightened infectiousness of the variant – which is now believed to be the dominant mutation in the UK – made life more challenging for everybody.
The Sage scientific advisory committee warned last month that if the Delta variant were to be 40 to 50 per cent more transmissible it could lead to a much larger peak than previous waves of the virus seen at the start of this year and last spring, when tens of thousands of people were hospitalised and died.
In a report from a Sage video meeting held ...