The coronavirus variant first recognized in the UK spreads extra simply than older strains however doesn’t result in extra extreme illness amongst hospitalized sufferers, a brand new research discovered.
Individuals contaminated late final yr with the variant, referred to as B.1.1.7, had extra virus of their our bodies than sufferers contaminated with older strains, an indication the newer variant is extra infectious, based on the study published online Monday by the medical journal The Lancet Infectious Illnesses. However the sufferers hospitalized with B.1.1.7 didn’t die at greater charges or have worse outcomes total.
The findings add to scientists’ understanding of B.1.1.7’s affect, which has change into particularly essential now that the pressure has come to dominate cases in the U.K., U.S. and some other countries.
“In the event you want hospitalization, you’re not worse with this variant in comparison with the earlier virus pressure,” mentioned Eleni Nastouli, a scientific virologist and pediatrician at College School London and senior writer on the paper.
“In fact, if you happen to’re requiring hospital admission for Covid, that could be a fear,” she added. “Nevertheless it’s no more than the earlier pressure.”
