PHOENIX — A new variant of COVID-19, called the Delta variant, has been found by researchers in Arizona.
Currently, the B.1.1.7. a variant, which originated in the U.K. is the dominant strain in the state, however, scientists expect the Delta variant to surpass it.
Delta variant moves faster than previous variants
The Delta variant is believed to have originated in India, named B.1.617.2, has spread across continents and into the United States.
It’s something several variants before it has done as well.
“The virus will evolve in a way that becomes even more transmissible,” Dr. David Engelthaler, Director of TGen's infectious disease wing, said.
Like other variants before it, the Delta variant is believed to spread faster from person to person.
“This one seems to be the champion spreader it moves faster than even the B.1.1.7., the UK variant, which in and of itself was the fastest moving variant,” Engelthaler said.
Engelthaler said while the variants are a concern because they spread faster, the vaccines still work.
“They don’t cause more severe disease than we can see,” Engelhaler said on the variants. “They’re not more prone to infect younger populations, it’s just that’s where we see most people who aren’t immunized.”
It was found in Arizona on May
TGen is one of several entities that sequence genomes of positive COVID-19 cases in Arizona.
Engelthaler said they found the variant in Arizona in May.
“Last month we saw probably about 2.5% of our cases were the delta variant, before that we hadn't seen it at all. This month it's probably getting closer to 10 percent,” Engelthaler said.
Currently, Engelthaler said the B.1.1.7 variant out of the U.K. is still the dominant variant in Arizona.
Other variants, like the California variants, have started to go away.
“We still have the Brazil variant, known as P.1, and that's making up about 10 percent of our cases as well,” Engelthaler said. “Thankfully it's not increasing incredibly fast.”
Looking into the future, Engelthaler anticipates Arizona will follow other places and see the Delta variant take over.
“It will become the dominant variant in Arizona,” Engelthaler said.
The virus will continue to mutate
Engelthaler calls the battle of variants for dominance a ‘survival of the fittest race’.
A race, that he anticipates will battle out until only a few dominant variants remain, anticipating COVID-19 will be around as a virus for years to come.
Engelthaler said there is also a mutation of the Delta variant itself, called Delta plus.
“It’s essentially the Delta variant with essentially a key mutation in it that could help it evade some antibodies,” Engelthaler said.
As we’ve seen, Engelthaler expects more mutations will continue as the virus searchers for people who do not have immunity.
“As long as the virus still hangs around and still finds a way to transmit to the next susceptible person, it could pick up more mutations,” Engelthaler said.
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