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The delta type of COVID-19, which was first identified in India, has become the dominant variant worldwide, the World Health Organization’s chief scientist said on Friday.
Somaya Swaminathan also expressed disappointment that the candidate CureVac vaccine failed to test the efficacy standard of the World Health Organization, especially now that highly contagious variants are increasing the need for effective new vaccines.
The UK has reported a sharp rise in infections with delta forms, and Germany’s top public health body predicted it would quickly become the dominant strain in their country, despite high vaccination rates.
The Kremlin attributed the rise in COVID-19 cases to a reluctance to get vaccines and “nihilism” after a record number of new infections in Moscow, mostly delta-types, raised fears of a third wave.
“The delta variant is on its way to becoming the dominant alternative globally due to its greater portability,” Swaminathan explained at a press conference.
CureVac cited variants of the coronavirus when the German company reported this week that its vaccine was only 47% effective in preventing the disease, below the World Health Organization’s standard of 50%.
The company said it documented at least 13 circulating variables in the population it studied.
