COVID-19 Variant Detected in UK May Be More Deadly: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, the coronavirus variant first identified in Britain may be more deadly than the older virus strain

London: The coronavirus variant first identified in Britain may be more deadly than the older virus strain, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Friday. "There is some evidence that the new variant may be associated with a higher degree of mortality," Johnson said at a Downing Street news conference.

The new strain of coronavirus, first identified in Kent in England, is thought to be up to 70 per cent more transmissible, the Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the British government's Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance, early evidence suggests the difference is between 10 deaths in 1,000 infected with the older variant to 13 or 14 in 1,000 infected with the new variant.

However, Johnson said that the current vaccines are still effective against the new variant. "All current evidence continues to show" that the current vaccines remain effective against the old coronavirus variant and this new one, he said.

Johnson said the National Health Service (NHS) is under significant pressure, urging the public to continue to follow the restriction rules. (IANS)

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