New COVID-19 Variant Found in India Spread to Over 90 Countries

New variant of coronavirus disease, known as 'Delta', which was discovered in India, has already spread to more than 90 countries around the world, raising concerns for the World Health Organization (WHO). This was announced by WHO representative Maria Van Kerkhove.

“At this moment, we know that the new variant 'Delta' is present in 92 countries. This variant is spreading very quickly,” she said. According to her, the new variant is concerning for WHO because it is spreading much faster across the globe.

At the same time, the WHO representative emphasized that the vaccines developed so far against the coronavirus are effective in combating this new variant, as they are against other strains of the virus. “Regarding the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, we know that the vaccines are effective against all variants which are concerning for us, including the 'Delta' variant, meaning they can prevent severe cases and deaths caused by the infection. This is a good indicator,” she noted.

Maria Van Kerkhove also stressed that the only way to combat the disease is through vaccination, and it is crucial for people to receive both doses of the vaccine. As for the question of whether the 'Delta' variant is more deadly than all previous strains and variants of COVID-19 identified so far, the WHO representative stated that data on this matter is lacking, and the organization needs to study the new variant further.

Currently, there are four strains of coronavirus disease circulating worldwide, which the WHO has named according to the Greek alphabet. The British strain, which spread since November 2020, has been named 'Beta', while the strain that emerged in South Africa in December 2020 is referred to as 'Alpha'. The Brazilian strain, discovered in May of this year, is named 'Gamma', and the new variant identified in India in recent days has been designated by WHO as 'Delta'.