The new \
The delta variant of the coronavirus has become a rising concern in the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s sweeping through the nation. The new strain, first discovered in India, is likely the second most prevalent variant in the United States, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a recent media briefing. She expects it to soon overtake the alpha variant, which was first discovered in the United Kingdom. In Iowa, the delta variant has accounted for more than half of the positive coronavirus tests that included variants of the virus over the past two weeks, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. « Iowans should assume it is circulating in their community,” state health department spokesperson Sarah Ekstrand said in an email to the Des Moines Register. Here’s what you need to know: More: Highly transmissible delta variant of coronavirus is gaining strength in Iowa, state lab tests suggest Scientists expect viruses to mutate in the course of a pandemic, especially one that’s engulfed the globe over the past year and infected millions in the United States alone. It’s the nature of the mutations that can raise worries. In the case of the delta variant, the chief concern is that it is « hyper-transmissible, » Walensky said. « There are communities that are vulnerable and where we are now seeing surges in cases, and indeed also hospitalizations, due to what could be the spread of the Delta variant and low vaccination rates in these communities, » she said.
