LONDON, December 26 – A mutated coronavirus strain that spreads in Britain is on average 56 percent more contagious than the original version, scientists have warned in a study, urging rapid spread of vaccine to prevent more deaths.
The new variant, which appeared in the south-east of England in November and is spreading rapidly, is likely to increase hospitalization and deaths from Covid next year, according to the study published Wednesday by the Center for Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Researchers, with a focus on the south-east of England, the east of London and London, said it remained uncertain whether the mutated strain was substantially lethal than before.
“Nevertheless, the increase in referrals is likely to continue with a significant increase in frequency, with Covid-19 hospitals and deaths expected to reach higher levels in 2021 than in 2020, even although regional serial restrictions implemented before 19 December will be maintained, ”they said.
The authors cautioned that a national ban introduced in England in November was unlikely to prevent the rise of diseases “unless primary schools, secondary schools and universities also closed ”.
At the same time, reducing control measures could lead to a “major reactivation of the virus”.
This meant that “the spread of vaccines may need to be accelerated in order to have a significant impact on eliminating the resulting burden of disease”.
Announcing tougher locking measures over the Christmas holidays, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said today that the new viral pressure could be “up to 70 per cent more portable than the original version of the disease ”.
With the discovery of the new strain, they sounded worldwide alarms just as more countries began vaccination campaigns to stop a pandemic that has claimed more than 1.7 million lives since its inception a year ago. back in China.
Many countries swiftly banned British travel, but EU governments have begun to fix the restrictions.
Co-founder BioNTech – one of the companies behind the vaccine being rolled out this week – has said his drug is “very likely” to work against the pressure. bruises found in Britain and otherwise can be changed in six weeks. – AFP-Relaxnews