UK health officials on Friday issued a warning of an increased risk of catching the Delta variant even if someone has had Covid-19 before and urged caution as further investigations remain ongoing.
Public Health England (PHE), which monitors all variants of concern (VOC) in the country on a weekly basis, found the Delta VOC cases have risen by 33,716 since last week to a total of 286,765 and continues to account for approximately 99 per cent of coronavirus cases across the UK. It also revealed that 897 cases out of 68,688 infections of the Delta variant – first identified in India – recorded in an 11-week period from April to June were possible reinfections.
“The Delta risk assessment has been updated to reflect early signs of increased risk of reinfection with Delta compared to Alpha [variant previously dominant in the UK],” the PHE said.
“National surveillance analysis, adjusted for different variables including age and vaccination, shows a preliminary signal of increased risk of reinfection with Delta compared to Alpha. Further investigations are being undertaken,” it noted.