CDC: Delta dominant variant in US, makes up over half of Covid cases

Houston: The highly contagious Delta variant has become the dominant Coronavirus strain in the US, accounting for more than 51 per cent of Covid infections in the country, according to new data released by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

The variant, also known as B.1.617.2, was first detected in India in December and is spreading quickly across the globe. In some parts of America, the delta strain accounts for more than 80 per cent of new infections, including some Midwestern states like Missouri, Kansas and Iowa.

It is already causing 74.3 per cent of infections in Western states, including Utah and Colorado, and 58.8 per cent of infections in Southern states like Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma, according to CDC estimates.

New Covid infections with the Delta variant now account for 51.7 per cent of the infections. The B.1.1.7 or Alpha variant makes up for 28.7 per cent cases after remaining a dominant variant for months, the data said.

"If ever there was a reason to get vaccinated, this is it," Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN on Tuesday.

The variant poses a "significant threat," to unvaccinated people, said the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

He said the variant was not only more transmissible, but it can also cause more severe disease. Experts believe it is expected to be the most dominant strain in the country in the coming weeks.

According to the Galveston County Health District in Texas, more than 450 adults and youth in grades 6 to 12 from the area attended a camp in Galveston County and the health District has confirmed 57 cases.

Of the 57 cases reported to date, six are breakthrough cases, the health officials said. Breakthrough cases are defined as someone becoming infected more than 14 days after their second COVID-19 vaccination.

Knowing that there are only six people that got COVID after getting vaccinated, I think still is a very small percentage, said Annamarie Davidson, MD, with Memorial Hermann Hospital.

The county health district said 47 cases are youth and adults 12 years and older while 10 are younger than 12 years.

In addition to these 57 confirmed cases, more than 90 people have self-reported to the health district that they have tested positive.