NICOLA Sturgeon and her Cabinet discussed the monitoring of a new Covid variant mutation this morning as cases remain “higher than we’d like”.
Despite daily coronavirus case totals dropping from more than 6000 during the summer, in recent weeks figures have rarely dropped below 2000 a day.
Yesterday Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said there are currently no plans for further Covid-19 restrictions despite the slowdown.
Today it emerged that scientists in the UK are keeping a close eye on a new mutation of the Covid-19 Delta variant. Delta is the dominant strain of the virus in the UK, but new data reveals 6% of genetically sequenced cases are of this new type called Delta Plus.
Delta Plus (also known as AY.4.2), first identified in July, is not yet classified as a Variant of Concern or Variant Under Investigation, but officials are monitoring the situation.
They say the mutation is unlikely to be able to escape the current vaccines.
The director of University College London’s Genetics Institute, Professor Francois Balloux, said Delta Plus may be “potentially a marginally more infectious strain”.
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"It's nothing compared with what we saw with Alpha and Delta, which were something like 50 to 60 percent more transmissible. So we are talking about something quite subtle here and that is currently under investigation,” she explained. "It is likely to be up to 10 percent more transmissible.
"It's good that we are aware. It's excellent that we have the facilities and infrastructure in place to see anything that might be a bit suspicious.
"At this stage I would say wait and see, don't panic. It might be slightly, subtly more transmissible but it is not something absolutely disastrous like we saw previously."
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Scotland’s First Minister said the need to monitor Delta Plus was brought up at Cabinet today.
“More generally, cases here – though lower than few weeks ago – remain higher than we’d like. So pls take care: wear masks, wash hands, ventilate indoor spaces and get vaccinated,” she added.
Yesterday, Scotland recorded 2194 Covid-19 cases and a positive rate of 11.5%.
No deaths were recorded among people who tested positive within the previous 28 days. There were 857 people in hospital with the virus, an increase of 28 on the previous day.
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