The rapid spread of the more contagious Delta variant is now causing concern among health officials who warn of a possible outbreak of the infection in communities with low vaccination rates.
The Delta variant, also referred to as B.1.617.2, was first detected in India, where it is believed to have caused a devastating surge of COVID-19 cases. At the peak of the outbreak, India’s healthcare system was at the brink of collapse, with hospitals turning away patients due to a lack of medical resources.
While people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 may have high protection levels against the more transmissible variant, people who have not yet received vaccine shots have fallen ill, according to a data analysis by the Los Angeles Times.
Here’s What We Know About The Delta Variant
Transmissibility: The Delta variant is believed to be at least 60% more transmissible than the Alpha variant, which was first detected in the United Kingdom, according to Public Health England, as reported by WebMD.
United States: The Delta variant now accounts for at least 25% of all analyzed COVID-19 cases in the nation. In some states, nearly half of all infections are caused by the more contagious variant.
California: In California, at least 35.6% of all coronavirus cases analyzed in June have been caused by the Delta variant. In May, the variant only accounted for 5.6% of all cases.
