ECDC Warns European Countries of Delta Variant’s Dominance in Infection Cases
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) submitted surveillance data showing that the Delta variant is now a dominant concern in Europe. According to the ECDC, the new variant has been spreading fast across the European region; making it important for governments to reinforce efforts and measures for preventing widespread transmissions.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe warns that based on the ECDC surveillance data, the Delta variant was dominant in the majority of cases in 19 of 28 European countries, between 28 June and 11 July 2021. The median proportion of the Delta virus detected on a nationwide level in the 19 countries averaged at 68.3% domination over other sequenced virus; surpassing the previously dominant strain Alpha.
Inasmuch as the Delta variant has been detected in nearly all European countries, it is expected that the variant will continue to spread globally to become a dominant strain. Not unless another new, more competitive virus emerges.
Regional Director for WHO in Europe, Dr Hans P. Kluge, said that despite efforts to vaccinate people across EU member states, millions more remain unvaccinated. That is why numerous countries in Europe are still seeing a considerable increase in Delta various cases. According to Dr. Kluge,
“ Sadly, we are far from seeing a pandemic ending as many of the unvaccinated millions are ending up in hospitals instead.
The brighter side revealed by the ECDC surveillance data is that it clearly demonstrates that becoming fully vaccinated significantly diminishes the risk of contracting the severe disease that could lead to fatality.
ECDC Emphasizes the Importance Revitalizing Efforts in Preventing Delta Variant Spread
Dr Kluge gives advice to European countries that already eased down implementation of public health and social distancing measures, to do the following:
- Increase access to free testing;
- Urge quarantine for affected contacts;
- Require isolation of confirmed cases;
- Strengthen contact tracing in ways that can immediately break transmission chains
- Ensure vaccination of those highly at risk of becoming infected.
- Expand undertakings for virus sequencing,
