Delta variant, Iss: “In June at 27.7%”

In Italy, “according to the data currently available, the percentage of cases” from Kappa and Delta variants (‘Indian’ family) “reported to the Integrated Covid-19 Surveillance increased from 5.2% in May 2021 to 27, 7% in June, almost all of which attributable to the Delta variant “. This is what we read in the report of the Higher Institute of Health ‘Prevalence and distribution of variants of Sars-CoV-2 of interest for public health in Italy’, updated on 5 July. The report highlights the need for “great attention” to the circulation of variants. “The frequency and diffusion of cases caused by the variants Kappa (lineage B.1.617.1) and Delta (lineage B.1.617.2) is increasing – underlines the report whose key data were illustrated by ISS president Silvio Brusaferro yesterday at the Ministry of Health, during the press conference on the monitoring of the control room Higher Institute of Health-dicastery – These are mainly associated with localized outbreaks identified in different areas of the country. the Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7) continues to be throughout the period, although there is a downward trend in percentage compared to the other variants “, notes the ISS. “The Gamma variant (lineage P.1) shows a greater diffusion in some Italian Regions / Autonomous Provinces, with an overall prevalence of 11.8% with a steady trend in the reference period”. “In line with what has been observed in other European countries with high vaccination coverage – comment the experts – also in Italy an increasing diffusion of the Delta variant is confirmed. This variant is characterized by a further greater transmissibility and a partial reduction in the neutralization capacity of antibodies against previously circulating variants of the Sars-CoV-2 virus “. For this, the ISS recommends, “it is necessary to continue to closely monitor the circulation of variants of Sars-CoV-2, and in particular the presence of mutations attributable to greater transmissibility and / or associated with a potential ability to escape. the immune system response “.