Coronavirus infections in the UK increased by 50% between 3 May and 7 June, the period in which the Indian Delta mutation became dominant in the United Kingdom.
The data comes from the latest REACT-1 study from Imperial College London, with researchers talking about a “dramatic increase” in cases and setting the rate of reproduction of the virus, known as R, at 1.44.
Cases doubled every 11 days until June 7, Imperial researchers estimate. It is estimated that one in 670 people in England was a carrier that day, with the focus remaining on NW England.
The sharp increase in cases is attributed to young people. The incidence of the virus is higher in the ages of five to 12 and from 18 to 24 years.
Infections are almost five times more common in these age groups than in those over 65 years of age.
This is attributed to vaccines, with study co-chair Professor Steven Riley noting that the progress of the vaccination program “will significantly help reduce the overall development of the pandemic”.
He added that it is reassuring that there seems to be indeed very high protection against the Indian mutation in fully vaccinated citizens. The degree of protection is evidenced by the fact that the link between cases and hospitalizations seems to be broken in those over 65. On the contrary, hospitalizations are increasing for young people who have not yet been vaccinated.
