COVID19: Delta variant super transmissible, deadly

The Delta variant of COVID-19 is super transmissible and the most contagious virus around, according to virologist Dr Petros Karayiannis, a government advisor on the pandemic.

He urged the public to strictly adhere to personal protective measures and protocols and called on those who have not been vaccinated to book an appointment without delay.

President Anastasiades meets his COVID-19 scientific advisory group on Monday to be briefed on the island’s worsening epidemiological picture and see what can be done to stop the increase in cases.

Karayiannis said the cases rise is due to a lack of personal protective measures and the insufficient vaccination coverage of young people, who are the majority of cases at the moment.

Around 90% of the new cases are unvaccinated people.

The professor believes the increase is most likely due to the Delta variant.

“We are not 100% sure, we hope it is not, but we know that 9% of the cases sent overseas early May were.

“And some time has passed by since then, and things have likely changed.

“The Delta variant is the most transmissible yet, more contagious than the British variant.

“Therefore, it is super contagious, and it looks like it infects mostly young people who have not been vaccinated and even children. And it is more “deadly.”

It is 60% more contagious than the Alpha variant discovered in the UK, which was the last variant of major concern.

The Delta variant, which first emerged in India in late 2020 and is also known as B.1.617.2, has now been detected in more than 70 countries.