March 2010 April 2010 May 2010 June 2010 July 2010
August 2010
September 2010 October 2010
November 2010
December 2010
January 2011
February 2011 March 2011 April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011 January 2012 February 2012 March 2012 April 2012 May 2012 June 2012 July 2012 August 2012 September 2012 October 2012 November 2012 December 2012 January 2013 February 2013 March 2013 April 2013 May 2013 June 2013 July 2013 August 2013 September 2013 October 2013 November 2013 December 2013 January 2014 February 2014 March 2014 April 2014 May 2014 June 2014 July 2014 August 2014 September 2014 October 2014 November 2014 December 2014 January 2015 February 2015 March 2015 April 2015 May 2015 June 2015 July 2015 August 2015 September 2015 October 2015 November 2015 December 2015 January 2016 February 2016 March 2016 April 2016 May 2016 June 2016 July 2016 August 2016 September 2016 October 2016 November 2016 December 2016 January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017 January 2018 February 2018 March 2018 April 2018 May 2018 June 2018 July 2018 August 2018 September 2018 October 2018 November 2018 December 2018 January 2019 February 2019 March 2019 April 2019 May 2019 June 2019 July 2019 August 2019 September 2019 October 2019 November 2019 December 2019 January 2020 February 2020 March 2020 April 2020 May 2020 June 2020 July 2020 August 2020 September 2020 October 2020 November 2020 December 2020 January 2021 February 2021 March 2021 April 2021 May 2021 June 2021 July 2021 August 2021 September 2021 October 2021 November 2021 December 2021 January 2022 February 2022 March 2022 April 2022 May 2022 June 2022 July 2022 August 2022 September 2022 October 2022 November 2022 December 2022 January 2023 February 2023 March 2023 April 2023 May 2023 June 2023 July 2023 August 2023 September 2023 October 2023 November 2023 December 2023 January 2024 February 2024 March 2024
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30
31
News Every Day |

New Covid strain ‘less likely to cause symptoms’ starting to spread

A Delta subvariant now accounts for 12% of UK cases
A Delta subvariant now accounts for 12% of UK cases (Picture: PA)

A new sub-variant of Delta Covid that now accounts for 12% of UK cases may be less likely to cause symptomatic disease, scientists have found.

The mutation — known as AY.4.2. or Delta Plus – first emerged in the country over the summer and a study published last week found its prevalence has doubled in the last two months.

But, although the subvariant may be 10 to 15% more infectious, it was found to cause fewer symptomatic cases than its Delta parent, AY.4.

Cases in the UK are on the rise once again, with more than 40,000 new positive tests results reported yesterday.

Ministers have played down the need to introduce more measures to reduce the spread of infection, despite worrying cases rises in much of the rest of Europe.

Delta, first identified in India, has now become by far the most dominant Covid strain across the world and now accounts for 99.5% of all cases, according to the World Health Organisation.

Scientists are still fearful that a new, even more damaging, variant may still emerge but are cautiously optimistic that the AY.4.2. can be successfully contained.

Ravi Gupta, professor of clinical microbiology at the University of Cambridge told the Observer the new variant was ‘relatively wimpy’ compared to the threat of a totally new Covid strain to replace Delta.

METRO GRAPHICS booster vaccinations up to 20.11
The Covid booster campaign is being expanded this week (Picture: Metro)
Shoppers walk past a message on a hand sanitiser station amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Regent Street, London, Britain, November 20, 2021. REUTERS/Toby Melville
Ministers are still confident Brits can enjoy Christmas without restrictions (Picture: Reuters)

He said: ‘We’ve got a Delta pandemic at the moment. This new Delta Plus variant is relatively wimpy compared to the kind of thing I’m talking about.

‘It has two mutations from the Delta strain, I don’t think they are that worrisome and it hasn’t taken off in a big way in other countries. But it’s inevitable that there will be another significant variant in the next two years and it will compete with Delta and it may out-compete Delta.’

Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI’s REACT study found last week that AY.4.2. made up 12% of all new cases of the virus between October 19 and November 5.

Two-thirds of those infected with AY.4.2. reported experiencing ‘any symptom,’ compared to more than 75% of those who have the more dominant AY.4 strain.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Mark Thomas/REX/Shutterstock (12610216a) A steady stream of patients arriving at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. The NHS is under severe pressure with Covid cases rising and a backlog of more than 5.7 million patients in England alone. Hospitals are more full than at any time since November 2020. With Winter drawing in and the likelihood of more flu cases, the NHS is at breaking point. Only 3 in 5 patients in A & E are seen within 4 hours and GPs have seen more people in 2021 compared to the last 2 years. The week ending November 16th saw a 14.6% rise in Covid positive cases compared to the previous 7 days. NHS under severe pressure, Whitechapel, London, UK - 19 Nov 2021
Despite high case numbers, hospital admission rates remain lower than last year (Picture: Shutterstock)

Just a third of those with AY.4.2. had ‘classic Covid-19 symptoms’ such as a cough, a temperature or loss of taste or smell. This compared to almost half of the people with AY.4.

Scientists are still studying why this may be the case – it could simply be that cases have so far been confined to the young who are less likely to get sick from Covid anyway.

The lack of symptoms may also explain why it appears more transmissible, with people con

Professor Paul Elliott of Imperial said: ‘We’re not sure why AY.4.2 might be associated with less symptomatic infection, but that might give it a transmission advantage as people carrying AY.4.2. are less likely to know that (as more of them will be asymptomatic).’

Politicians and scientists are hopeful that the UK can avoid a similar rise in cases to that being seen currently in Europe.

Case numbers have been high but steady in the country all summer, while the vaccination campaign has also been more successful than in some of the UK’s neighbours.

This, it is hoped, will provide a greater level of protection against a surge in cases as winter begins.

Professor Peter Openshaw, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), told BBC Breakfast: ‘The situation appears to have really been destabilised in some parts of Europe because of misinformation, particularly about vaccines.

‘I think, in the UK, we had a very successful early vaccination campaign and we got very high vaccination rates, particularly amongst those who are vulnerable, but obviously that means that many people have now been vaccinated some time ago and they do need the boosters in order to raise their level of immunity back up again and make sure that, as we go into the winter season and towards Christmas, that we have very high levels of immunity again within society.’

MORE : Protests against Covid lockdowns across Europe as restrictions are tightened

MORE : Covid vaccines ‘might have saved around 150,000 lives’ so far in UK

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Владимир Спиваков

В Курской области выступил Национальный оркестр России под управлением Владимира Спивакова

The 10 Intense New Action Movies on Netflix That Left Me on the Edge of My Seat!

I was diagnosed with cancer aged 39… you are never too rich, too famous or too young, says Dr Philippa Kaye

Top 5 Websites to Watch FREE Movies - TV Shows (No Sign up!)

Top 10 Love Affair Movies of the 2000s and 2010s

Ria.city






Read also

20+ Healthy Cottage Cheese Recipes to Boost Your Protein Intake

Military kills 212 terrorists as court frees 313 B’Haram suspects

Commanders' Dan Quinn suggests team has yet to make up its mind as NFL Draft looms: 'We're not there yet'

News, articles, comments, with a minute-by-minute update, now on Today24.pro

News Every Day

Top 5 Websites to Watch FREE Movies - TV Shows (No Sign up!)

Today24.pro — latest news 24/7. You can add your news instantly now — here


News Every Day

Top 5 Websites to Watch FREE Movies - TV Shows (No Sign up!)



Sports today


Новости тенниса
ATP

Хачанов победил Черундоло и пробился в 1/8 финала турнира ATP в Майами



Спорт в России и мире
Москва

Победителями Всероссийской олимпиады по физике стали школьники Московского региона



All sports news today





Sports in Russia today

Москва

Федерация бокса России на ВДНХ


Новости России

Game News

Пробный запуск вампирского градостроя Vampire Legacy: City Builder


Russian.city


Новости 24 часа

Студенты ХГУ пополнят ряды реестра инклюзивных волонтёров


Губернаторы России
Владимир Потанин

Федеральный девелопер: ЦФА позволят легко и просто накопить квадратные метры и "обернуть" их в квартиру


Заказать недорогой ремонт кухонной мебели в районе в Москве и Московской области

Неэффективно используемые участки в Ясеневе реорганизуют

На 1 апреля москвичей ждут "майское" тепло и новый температурный рекорд

Тысячи уникальных изданий: архивно-библиотечный центр появится в Музее транспорта Москвы


Вывод Песни, Альбома, Клипа в ТОП Музыкальных Чартов!

Эффект Карабаса: Почему Моргенштерн взялся спасать молодых коллег от музыкального лейбла Rhymes Music

Певица Диана Арбенина опубликовала редкое фото матери

Ритуальный агент Борис Свистунов: комплексная поддержка в организации похоронных услуг в Санкт-Петербурге и Ленинградской области


Хачанов победил Черундоло и пробился в 1/8 финала турнира ATP в Майами

Россиянка покинула WTA-1000 из-за проблем со здоровьем

Чесноков оценил шансы Александровой в борьбе за выход в финал турнира WTA в Майами

Битые корты: Медведев и Александрова вышли в четвертьфинал Miami Open



«Радио Зенит» – информационный партнер форума «Мы вместе. Спорт»

Перенос дат II этапа культурного проекта «Классика: история и современность» в Дмитрове

Пассажир рейса Москва — Пермь попал в реанимацию

Архитектурные доминанты округов Москвы


Сергей Собянин рассказал, как Москва помогает производителям оборудования

Финал всероссийского студенческого трека Олимпиады Кружкового движения НТО «Летающая робототехника» 2024

В хоккейном ЦСКА сменился главный тренер

Актера Свиридова госпитализировали из-за инфицирования после операции в Москве


Теракт в «Крокус Сити Холле». Главное на утро 29 марта

Погибшие в «Крокусе» сёстры пережили теракт в Волгодонске в 1999 году

Расширение тротуара и комплексное озеленение, или Как преобразится Саввинская набережная после благоустройства

Курс рубля на Московской бирже снизился к доллару, но вырос к евро



Путин в России и мире






Персональные новости Russian.city
Александр Розенбаум

Розенбаум исполнил «Вечернюю застольную» в память о жертвах теракта в «Крокусе»



News Every Day

I was diagnosed with cancer aged 39… you are never too rich, too famous or too young, says Dr Philippa Kaye




Friends of Today24

Музыкальные новости

Персональные новости