Prevalence of COVID-19 Delta Variant in US Surpasses 50% This Week, Up From 26%, CDC Says

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The prevalence of the more transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 in the US has exceeded the 50% mark this week, up from 26 percent a week before, while cases and hospitalisations have been increasing over the past few days, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on Thursday.

"The Delta variant is spreading rapidly throughout the country. This week, the Delta variant is estimated to be the most prevalent variant in the United States, representing over 50 percent of sequenced samples across the country up from 26 percent from the week ending 19 June", Walensky said at a briefing.

The new CDC data showed that over the last seven days, both the number of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations have been on a rise, with about 14,000 cases and 2000 hospitalisations per day, Walensky said.

The CDC Director also noted that the Delta variant is currently raging in parts of the United States with low vaccination rates with a total of 173 counties in the US that have case rates greater than or equal to 100 cases per 100,000 people.

The Delta strain was first registered in India and is believed to be the fastest spreading and most contagious coronavirus variant, according to reports.