Coronavirus Covid-19 Roundup

30th June 2021

Delta variant infections have increased in England, Wales and Scotland.

25 June 2021

Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases that are compatible with the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) continued to increase in England and increased in Wales and Scotland in the week ending 19 June 2021.

The estimated percentage of the community population (those not in hospitals, care homes or other institutional settings) that had COVID-19 was:

0.22% in England (1 in 440 people)

0.12% in Wales (1 in 830 people)

0.14% in Northern Ireland (1 in 720 people)

0.46% in Scotland (1 in 220 people)

The percentage of people testing positive increased in the North West and North East. There were early signs of an increase in the East of England and South West.

Because of low positivity rates, caution should be taken in over-interpreting small movements in the latest trends for both age and regional breakdowns.

The percentage testing positive whose results are compatible with the Delta variant continued to increase in England and increased in Wales and Scotland in the week ending 19 June 2021
Modelled percentage of cases compatible with the Alpha variant, compatible with the Delta variant and where the virus was too low for the variant to be identifiable based on nose and throat swabs, daily, from 9 May to 19 June 2021, UK

Alpha variant compatible positives are defined as those that are positive on the ORF1ab-gene and N-gene, but not the S-gene. Delta variant compatible positives are defined as those that are positive on the ORF1ab, N-gene and S-gene. Positives where the virus is too low for the variant to be identifiable are defined as those that are positive with all other gene patterns. These definitions are regardless of cycle threshold (Ct) value.
Data should be treated with caution. There are uncertainties given that not all cases that are positive on the ORF1ab and N-gene will be the Alpha variant, and not all cases that are positive on all three of the ORF1ab, N-gene and S-gene will be the Delta variant.
Cases where the virus is too low for the variant to be identifiable are likely to be people very recently infected or those who are recovering from their infection; people who get new infections after vaccination may also be in this group.

Read the full report HERE