Delta variant cases rise by 50,824 in UK, hospitalisations remain low
London: The Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to spread in the UK with a further 50,824 cases logged on Friday, marking a 46 per cent increase over the previous week, according to health officials.
While the infections are rising, there has not been a corresponding rise in the number of hospitalisations with COVID-19, indicating that the vaccinations are effective against the highly transmissible variant first identified in India, Public Health England (PHE) said.
Of the 50,824 cases of Delta B1.617.2 variant over the past week, 42 are from the Delta AY.1 sub lineage with the mutation K417N which is feared to be more vaccine resistant.
Cases across the UK continue to rise and it is incredibly important that we do not forget to be careful, said Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency.
Although cases are rising, we are not seeing a proportional rise in the number of people who are being admitted to hospital. The data suggest this is testament to the success of the vaccination programme so far and clearly demonstrates the importance of getting both doses of the vaccine, she said, urging people to come forward for their vaccines.
It will help us to break the chain of transmission, and it will save lives, she said.
The genomic sequencing data released by PHE weekly on the variants of concern (VOCs) and variants under investigation (VUIs) show that the Alpha VOC, first identified in the English county of Kent, accounts for the second highest infections in the country.
An additional 823 COVID-19 cases were logged of the Alpha VOC, followed by 11 of the Beta VOC first detected in South Africa.
The latest data comes as the UK recorded 27,989 new daily cases of coronavirus on Thursday, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson indicating that extra precautions may have to stay in place as the country prepares to lift lockdown restrictions on July 19.
The government is also expected to review the travel list again this month, with only a few countries on the green list of free travel at the moment, while much of Europe remains on the amber list.
Meanwhile, India along with South America and Africa and most other countries remain on the travel ban red list, requiring compulsory hotel quarantine for British residents.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Houses only for eligible evictees, not encroachers: Dy CM Shivakumar
Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said the state government would not provide houses to encroachers and would rehabilitate only eligible evictees on humanitarian grounds.
Responding to questions on whether housing would be provided to residents evicted during the recent demolition drive at Kogilu in north Bengaluru, Shivakumar said the government would not “gift” anything to those who had illegally occupied government land. He added that strict action would be taken against those who facilitated encroachments.
“There is no appeasement politics. Housing will be provided through the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana only to eligible evictees on humanitarian grounds,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said several evictees had informed officials that they were allowed to set up sheds after paying money to intermediaries. “We will take action against those who collected money and enabled encroachment of government land,” he said.
He added that some evictees had claimed land rights were issued to them in the past. “I have asked officials to verify these claims. Some outsiders have also encroached the land recently. We will identify the original settlers and rehabilitate only genuine beneficiaries,” he said.
Responding to criticism from CPI(M) leaders and MPs from Kerala, Shivakumar said, “We are running our government well. They can make any statement they want, but we will not allow encroachments. The Left government in Kerala, which has not fulfilled promises made to flood victims, has no right to lecture Karnataka.”
Clarifying remarks attributed to him about Kerala, Shivakumar said he had not spoken ill of Keralites. “BJP leader Rajeev Chandrashekhar is twisting my statement and misleading people. I share a good relationship with the people of Kerala. I will campaign in the Kerala elections, and our government will come to power there,” he said.
He also said local body elections would be held next year and that the state’s guarantee schemes would continue.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and other BJP leaders accused the Congress government of providing houses to “illegal immigrants” evicted from government land at Kogilu. Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka alleged that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh were residing in the area using fake Aadhaar cards.
