July 8, 2021
1 min read

Delta strain now dominant in US

Delta, which was first found in India and is now in over 100 countries, represented 51.7 per cent of new infections in the US…reports Asian Lite News

 The highly transmissible Delta strain has overtaken the Alpha variant to become the dominant variant in the US, according to new estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Delta, which was first found in India and is now in over 100 countries, represented 51.7 per cent of new infections in the US over the two weeks ending July 3, Xinhua news agency reported citing the CDC.

Meanwhile, the proportion of new cases caused by Alpha, which was first detected in Britain, was just 28.7 per cent over the same time period, according to the CDC.

Recently, health officials and experts have warned that the Delta variant was on track to become the dominant variant in the US, as its prevalence in the nation doubles about every two weeks.

us

ALSO READ: ‘Delta variant to unsettle US soon’

They are concerned the variant will cause a surge in new cases this fall, hitting the unvaccinated population the hardest.

Increasing cases were reported in states with lower vaccination rates, including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi, according to the CDC.

Although Delta is highly contagious, research show that most vaccines still remain highly effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths caused by the variant.

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday pushed for all eligible Americans to get Covid-19 vaccinations, stressing the importance of being protected against Delta.

The country reached its highest vaccination rate in mid-April when the seven-day average of doses administered daily topped about 3.4 million. But the rate has dropped since then.

About 47.6 per cent of the US population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and 55.1 per cent of the population has received at least one shot as of Wednesday, CDC data show.

Biden set a goal in May of having 70 per cent of American adults receive at least one Covid-19 shot by the Fourth of July. But just 18 states and Washington, DC surpassed that goal by the date, according to a Forbes report.

ALSO READ:  Covaxin effective against both Alpha, Delta variants: US NIH

Previous Story

Jaishankar meets Iranian President-elect Ebrahim Raisi

Next Story

6-time Himachal CM Virbhadra passes away

Latest from -Top News

‘Kill and Dump’ Haunts Balochistan Again

The latest killings have reignited accusations of extrajudicial executions and the use of counterterrorism laws to cover up custodial deaths in Balochistan….reports Asian Lite News Concerns have deepened across Balochistan following the

‘ASEAN Expands, But Keeps Its Soul’

Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan urged ASEAN to uphold its unity and strategic resolve amid intensifying geopolitical tensions and mounting external pressures…reports Asian Lite News Consensus and inclusivity will remain the cornerstones

Bangladesh bends to beat Trump’s blow

Dhaka seeks compromise as Trump’s 35% tariff looms large over key exports; Washington urges worker protections, factory relocation to US…reports Asian Lite News Bangladesh has opened the second round of critical trade

China seethes as US lands F-35s in PH

As US F-35 jets land in the Philippines for the first time, Manila cements its frontline role in Washington’s power play against rising China….reports Asian Lite News The Philippines is rapidly cementing
Go toTop

Don't Miss

USTR stresses will for ‘mutually beneficial’ ties with S Korea

The meeting on Saturday was co-hosted by the FKI, the

China lashes out at Blinken’s meeting with Tibetan monk

US top diplomat met on Wednesday Geshe Dorji Damdul, current