UK coronavirus variant 'may be more deadly' – Johnson

Prime Minister for the United Kingdom Boris Johnson has said that early evidence suggests the variant of coronavirus that emerged in the UK may be more deadly.

He made the comment during a briefing on Friday, January 22, as reported by BBC.

Read alsoEU could restrict movement at internal borders to contain COVID-19 variants – mediaHowever, there remains huge uncertainty around the numbers - and vaccines are still expected to work.

The data comes from mathematicians comparing death rates in people infected with either the new or the old versions of the virus.

The new more infectious variant has already spread widely across the UK.

Johnson said he had been told today that "in addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant – the variant that was first identified in London and the south east – may be associated with a higher degree of mortality."

Background

• On December 14, UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matthew Hancock said that a new strain of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus had been identified in the country. It is more transmissible than others in circulation.
• On December 15, the danger of the new COVID-19 strain was assessed by the World Health Organization.
• On December 20, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson noted that the new virus could be 70% more infectious.
• After that, a number of countries decided to restrict transport services with Britain.