'Some Evidence' New UK-Linked COVID-19 Strain May Increase Mortality Degree - Johnson

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd January, 2021) There is evidence that the new variant of the coronavirus, which was first detected in the UK last month, may be associated with a higher degree of mortality, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday.

"We have been informed today that, in addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant, the variant that was first identified in London and the South East, may be associated with a higher degree of mortality," Johnson told a press briefing.

"All current evidence continues to show that both the vaccines we are currently using remain effective, both against the old variant and this new variant," the prime minister added.

During a press conference on Friday evening, World Health Organization officials were asked to comment on the prime minister's remarks, and technical lead for COVID-19 Maria Van Kerkhove said that the increased mortality rates could be because UK hospitals are swamped with new cases.

"We should say that if you have increased transmissibility, you will have more cases ... you'll have more hospitalizations and you'll have an overburdened health care system. And in a situation where you have an overburdened health care system, you can have increased deaths because the system is overwhelmed," Van Kerkhove said.

The UK has experienced a surge in new COVID-19 cases and deaths linked to the emergence of a new highly infectious variant of the disease uncovered this past December.

A new domestic single-day record for deaths was set on both Tuesday and Wednesday, with 1,820 fatalities reported on the latter.

Since the start of the pandemic, 95,981 people have died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19, according to data published by the Department of Health and Social Care.