The arrival of the delta variant in Trinidad and Tobago has sparked concern among many who have been following the progress of covid19 variants worldwide.
This variant, which emerged in India in October 2020, has become the main strain in many countries, including India and the US. IN the US and the UK it is currently causing a new wave of the pandemic in spite of vaccination drives in both countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said the delta variant is classified as a variant of concern because it has increased transmissibility. WHO covid19 technical lead and infectious Maria Van Kerkhove said where the variant is identified, it spreads more efficiently from person to person than the original lineage: it's estimated to be two to four times more transmissible than the original Wuhan virus. A recent WHO study said the variant is by far the most contagious one to date.
The strain has mutations on the spike protein that make it easier for it to infect human cells. That means people may be more contagious if they contract the virus and more easily spread it to others.
Additionally, evidence indicates that individuals who have contracted this variant may be prone to an increased risk of severe illness and hospitalisation. This variant may also lead to an increase in cases of covid19 in younger age groups and in those who have been previously infected.
There have been confirmed cases of the delta variant of covid19 in 142 countries. Its appearance in India contributed to the second wave of covid19 cases in that country, with a high of 414,188 daily cases and several thousand deaths recorded on May 7. It then spread to the US, the UK and other countries through travel.
As of July 20, the WHO said the prevalence of delta among the specimens sequenced over the past four weeks exceeded 75 per cent in many countries worldwide, including Australia, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Denmark, India, Indonesia, Israel, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa and the UK. In July, the delta variant comprised 83 per cent of all sequenced cases in the US.
Especially worrying is the effect on children. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US show a 27.3 per cent rise in the seven-day average for US covid19 hospital admissions among children from 0-17 years old between July 28 and August 10.
With the spread of the delta variant to 24 countries and territories in the Americas, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) has emphasised the importance of preparation in the region for the expansion of care capacity in the face of a potential increase in cases, hospitalisations and deaths.
It said in order to fight against the spread of the variant, it is necessary to maximise efforts to extend full vaccination coverage, especially in high-risk populations, as well as to reinforce non-pharmacological prevention and protection measures, such as physical distancing, the use of individual face masks, the use of antiseptic solutions (ie soap and water, alcohol gel, and liquid alcohol in
