Fears of a global resurgence of Covid-19 have heightened due to the emergence of a new virus variant known as Pirola, which experts consider to be significant. In the UK, Covid infection rates are already on the rise, and officials have announced plans to increase Covid testing and community surveillance ahead of the winter season. Despite this, the UK has only confirmed four cases of the Pirola variant so far. To understand what may happen in the coming months, the severity of the new variant, and the possibility of another lockdown, here is a breakdown of the current Covid situation in the UK.
Hospital admissions and the number of beds occupied by Covid patients have been increasing. The latest data from the NHS shows that daily Covid hospital admissions have risen by almost 30% since June. On August 25, the seven-day rolling average of admissions was 322, compared to 251 on June 7. Additionally, in the week ending August 11, there were 74 Covid deaths registered in the UK, representing a 57% increase from the previous week. However, these numbers are significantly lower than the peak of the pandemic in January when daily cases and deaths reached much higher levels.
Currently, Covid cases are on the rise in the UK. In just a month, the number of daily symptomatic infections has nearly doubled, with approximately 93,432 new cases reported on September 2, compared to around 50,000 at the beginning of August. According to data from the ZOE health study, it is estimated that there are currently around 1.17 million people in the UK with the virus, which is approximately one in 57 people. However, the peak of the pandemic in terms of cases was observed in late March 2022, with an estimated 4.9 million people infected at one point.
As the UK enters the autumn season, where the NHS traditionally experiences higher demands, experts predict that Covid cases will continue to rise. Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease specialist, foresees an increase in cases but doubts that hospitalization rates will reach the levels seen last winter. To mitigate the spread of the virus, some scientists suggest implementing pandemic mitigation measures such as mask-wearing and increased ventilation. Others recommend reconsidering vaccine eligibility criteria to ensure broader protection. However, it is unlikely that severe restrictions like lockdown will be imposed unless there is an emergence of a highly dangerous variant that overwhelms the population’s immunity.
The Pirola variant has recently been detected in multiple countries, including the UK, US, Israel, Denmark, South Africa, Portugal, Sweden, France, Canada, Thailand, and Switzerland. Health experts are concerned about the rapid spread of the variant globally, but the symptoms specific to variant BA.2.86 are yet to be reliably identified. Despite the increase in cases and deaths, the current situation is far from the darkest days of the pandemic, and it is unlikely that severe mitigations will be necessary or acceptable. Instead, maintaining regular testing, mask-wearing, improved ventilation, expanded access to vaccines, and promoting self-isolation when necessary can aid in managing the virus during the winter months.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
