Here is my heatmap of Variants of Concern and Variants under Investigation detected in England (B.1.1.7 not highlighted). Note detection is dependent on testing.
Note the new VUI B.1.617 (first detected in India, bottom right) with the highest number of detected cases this week.
* detected cases reported this week. Some may have been detected previously and only reported this week due to B.1.617 being newly designated as a Variant under Investigation.
Here is a link to my updated charts which highlight B.1.617 more clearly
I have updated my charts for Variants of Concern and under Investigation.
The cases detected are for the United Kingdom not just England.
I have added the B.1.617 (first detected in India) variant in light blue so that it is highlighted.
Firstly, the *cumulative* chart
Secondly, the *cumulative* chart on a log scale. Some may find this more useful (note that we can't display 0 on a log chart, which is why the cases enter abruptly when they first appear).
But B.1.617 (first detected in India) is entering more abruptly than others.
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Here are my updated charts which now highlight the B.1.617 Variant under Investigation (first detected in India) in blue
You can see the 77 cases reported this week as the light blue line
It is not clear from this 'initial report' whether all these cases were detected this week
Here's the same data on a logarithmic scale including B.1.1.7 (Kent)
It is clear that the number of B.1.617 (Variant under Investigation) first detected in India) is of significance.
Further work will be going on by experts at @PHE_uk to determine how significant.
The Roadmap fourth test that 'our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern'.
It is worth remembering that even though the vaccination rollout is going extremely well, not everyone is vaccinated and vaccines are not 100% effective.
"In England, ... 54.9% of the population (95% credible interval: 49.5% to 60.0%) would have tested positive for antibodies against the coronavirus (COVID-19)... on a blood test in the week ending 28 March 2021, suggesting they had the infection in the past or have been vaccinated
Imporant caveat:
"Across all four countries of the UK, there is a clear pattern between vaccination and testing positive for COVID-19 antibodies **but the detection of antibodies alone is not a precise measure of the immunity protection given by vaccination**.
"Prisons are highly prone to outbreaks of COVID-19 and consequent raised risks of hospitalisations and deaths (high confidence). Age-standardised mortality rates are significantly higher for prisoners than the general population. ...
" ... Incidence of disease, number and size of outbreaks, hospitalisation and mortality rates in prisons have increased markedly in wave 2 compared to wave 1 (high confidence). Prisons can act as amplifiers for community infection."
1. The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully 2. Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated
...
3. Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS 4. Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern