The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday said that Delta, a highly transmissible COVID-19 variant first identified in India and currently sweeping through the United Kingdom, now makes up at least 10% of all US cases.
On May 22, the variant had made up only 2.7% of cases.The CDC also now designated Delta as a variant of concern, which means the agency officially recognizes that the variant may carry a risk of more severe illness and transmissibility.
In addition to Delta, the CDC has noted five other variants of concern.The rapid rise of the variant in the United Kingdom—where it now accounts for 90% of cases—has slowed that nation’s reopening efforts by 4 or 5 weeks.New York fully opens with 70% of adults having at