The Delta variant first identified in India now accounts for nine in 10 coronavirus cases in the UK. It is roughly 60% more transmissible than any other variant, Public Health England data suggests. People infected by the Delta variant are two times more likely to be hospitalized than those with any other variant. British Health Minister Matt Hancock said on Tuesday the COVID-19 data looks encouraging and currently suggests England’s lockdown can fully end mid-July because a recent rise in delta variant cases is not resulting in deaths.
Dr. Susan Hopkins, the strategic response director for Covid-19 at Public Health England (PHE) however, warned that there may need to be further lockdowns, she adds that it really depends on whether the hospitals start to become overwhelmed at some point,’.
