The UK warns that the “British version” of coronavirus appears to be more deadly

British Prime Minister, Boris JohnsonAnnounced today There is “evidence” that a variant identified in the United Kingdom of coronovirus “is associated with higher levels of mortality”, In addition to being more contagious.

Johnson told a news conference, because of the impact of this new version, Britain’s public health system (NHS) is “under increasing pressure”, Although he added that Vaccines in the UK appear to be effective against both strains (native and British) In the opinion of scientists.

The British Prime stated, “We were informed today that, in addition to expanding more rapidly, there now appears to be some evidence that the new variant identified in London and the South East may be associated with higher levels of mortality is.” Respected Minister.

he said that 38,562 Kovid-19 patients currently in British hospitals Is a figure Is 78 percent higher than The peak Registered in first wave, In April.

The British Ministry of Health announced today that they have registered in the last 24 hours 1,401 new deaths. causes of illness.

Watch live: # Coronavirus Press conference (22 January 2021)

Speakers:

4 @Borrisjonsson, Prime minister
⚫ Prof. Chris Whitty, @CMO_England
⚫ Sir Patrick Valence, @ukScienceChief https://t.co/3oFmq3AcWX

– UK Prime Minister (@ 10DowningStreet) January 22, 2021

For his part, at the same Johnson conference, the government’s chief scientific adviser, Patrick Valence, reported that The British version is 30 to 70 percent more infectious than the original, although still unknown.

Similarly, the scientist assured that there is evidence that this version has a higher risk of death than the original, although he clarified that “the evidence is not yet robust.”

In fact, this high mortality rate has not been detected in those admitted to hospitals, but it has been found in the overall positive cases detected.

Valence gave the example of the male population in his sixties.: With the older version, 10 out of every 1,000 infected will die. With British tension, this figure may increase 13 or 14.

Despite everything, he insisted once again “There is a lot of uncertainty” In this regard, although there are also increasing indications that vaccines are effective with the new version.

There are more doubts about the efficacy of existing vaccines with identified strains South Africa and Brazil, Valence admitted.