PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th August, 2021) The highly contagious Delta strain of coronavirus present the greatest danger for pregnant women, Kitty Bloemenkamp, a professor of obstetrics at University Medical Center Utrecht, said on Friday.
"These women are not vaccinated and do not have any underlying diseases. Still they have a severe form of the virus," Bloemenkamp told the Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad.
In the Netherlands, more pregnant women were hospitalized during the spread of the Delta strain than during the previous COVID-19 strains, according to the professor. When a woman whose pregnancy is going well becomes infected with the coronavirus, her condition suddenly and quickly worsens, with little else but for her to be connected to a ventilator, the professor explained.
"I think women should decide for themselves whether to get vaccinated or not, but they should be well informed and aware of the consequences of their refusal to vaccinate," Bloemenkamp added.
In July, the Delta strain, which is associated with more severe symptoms, accounted for the majority of COVID-19 infections in most European countries, prompting new restrictions. The Delta variant was first detected in India in October 2020, with three sub-variants discovered since. This strain is said to be as contagious as chickenpox and 40%-60% more transmissible than other COVID-19 variants.
