New Data Shows UK Variant May Be 30% More Fatal

Preliminary evidence recently showed the new COVID-19 strain in the United Kingdom may be 30 percent more fatal compared to the original virus that has been affecting millions of people all over the world.

According to New Scientist, UK prime minister Boris Johnson said in a Friday press briefing, this latest information specified the more communicable B.1.1.7 strain of the coronavirus originally detected in the UK may additionally be more fatal.

Researchers from the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group briefed the government on their assessment of the data on the new strain appearing to be roughly 30-percent more fatal.

A research team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and at Imperial College London who analyzed the data on this new variant came out with a conclusion that it is from 20- to 36-percent more deadly, while the University of Exeter researchers reportedly set the numbers at 91 percent.

Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser of the UK said, there is no strong evidence yet on in terms of the lethality of the new variant although, added, "it is obviously a concern."

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Is the UK's Pandemic Shrinking?

Data recently showed as well, that the COVID-19 pandemic of the UK may be shrinking, the number of individuals each person who has COVID-19 is infecting, was found to be at, if not lower than 1.0 for the first time since early last month.

The most recent official statement for this so-called "R number" puts the figure between "0.8 to 1.0." Meanwhile, a separate set of figures from the random swab testing survey of the Office of the National Statistics Office specifies the number of new COVID-19 cases may be "levelling off slightly across England, Scotland and Wales," although cases still seem to be abruptly rising abruptly in Norther Ireland.

An approximated one in 55 people in England were reported to have the virus in the week until January 16, "compared to one in 50 people" two weeks before.

Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland the approximated infection rate rose from one in 200 people in the earlier survey to one in 60 in the latest reported figure.

Data showed equivalent numbers for Wales and Scotland in the most recent week were one in 70 and "one in one in 100 people approximated to have had COVID-19."

Violation Charges

People in England who attend house parties with more than 15 attendees will be fined for roughly $1,000 beginning next week.

According to home secretary Priti Patel, there is a "small minority" that remained refusing to do the right thing.

Incidentally, the UK administration said, it has no plan of beginning to pay more than $680 to individuals who test positive for COVID-19 in England following reports that ministers "were considering the idea"

A spokesperson for the prime minister said, there are no plans of introducing the said amount for payment. The idea, he added, was reportedly stimulated by a government survey suggesting just 17 percent of people who have the symptoms come forward to get tested.

The global death toll for COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University, has reached more than two million. Meanwhile, the number of case has reached over 97 million.

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