A new sublineage of the Delta variant, known as AY.4.2, has been circulating in the UK since July and recently increased in prevalence, but only seven cases have been spotted in the U.S.
Healthcare tragedy of epic proportions overruns India
A second wave of the pandemic is wreaking havoc in India, exposing a healthcare system and political leadership ill-prepared to deal with the crisis.
Benjamin Parkin
Share
A second wave of the pandemic in India has resulted in a sharp rise in infections, with more than 300,000 new coronavirus cases each day for the past six days, although health experts believe the tally is probably much higher.
Every night, funeral pyres blaze on the banks of the Ganges, a grim symbol of the ferocious COVID-19 wave sparking a health crisis and human tragedy in India that is far surpassing anything seen last year.
How deadly is India s Covid variant and is it REALLY behind explosion of cases? Scientists say perfect storm fuelled nation s crisis and mutant strain just had a head-start - as study shows vaccines DO work against it
B.1.617 strain blamed for the raging second wave killing nearly 3,000 Indians a day and infecting 350,000
Doctors in India claimed variant is far more infectious and probably far more deadly than previous strains
But experts say perfect storm of complacency, lack of social distancing and combination of strains to blame
Is the Kent Covid variant fuelling India s explosion in infections? Cases of mutant strain in Kerala region have risen 10-FOLD in a month and now make up a THIRD of all samples… and it is linked to 90% of positives in northern states
Kent Covid variant already dominant in the UK and US and it is in 130 countries
Indian reports show it accounts for surging proportion of infections there
It is known to be faster-spreading than other strains of the virus
Not much is known about the Indian variant but it doesn t appear to be worse
India is in a state of crisis with hospitals overwhelmed and thousands dying
By EARLE GALE in London | China Daily Global | Updated: 2020-12-22 09:40 Share CLOSE A ferry arrives at the Port of Dover as EU countries impose a travel ban from the UK following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Dover, UK, Dec 21, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]
The list of nations refusing entry to travelers from the United Kingdom grew on Monday as concern mounted about a new strain of the novel coronavirus that has a foothold in the London area.
The strain, which is thought to affect people in much the same way as the main strain but to be far easier to catch, prompted the British government to introduce strict lockdowns throughout the Southeast on the weekend.