The SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant: Current Facts, Figures, & Some Predictions
The Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 now accounts for >20% of new US infections and WHO estimates is has spread to 96 countries. We summarize current data and perspective.
The SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant (formerly B.1.617.2), assessed to be more highly transmissible than the original virus, has been detected in 96 countries, according to the World Health Organization, and in the US has quickly become the cause of >20% of new cases of infection.
Vaccines currently available do appear to protect against infection with Delta and related hospitalization but public health authorities remain cautious.
All health officials agree that it is the unvaccinated who are at significant risk from this opportunistic variant, a reality now devastating the Indian continent. In the US, the greatest concern is for states in the south and southwest where vaccination rates lag far behind the country as a whole.
Click through our summary of the current impact of the Delta variant and perspective on how and why that will change.
