Thread by @vipintukur

A recent #Chinese study shows that the viral loads in the #Delta infections were ~1000 times higher than those in the earlier 19A/19B strain infections on the day when viruses were firstly detected 1/

virological.org/t/viral-infect…

#Delta not only had a shorter incubation period but also has a shorter latent period. So, the time difference stayed the same but with much higher viral load. That's terrible & explains near-vertical waves 2/

Because it binds & replicates faster, #Delta creates a higher viral load which triggers symptoms in a host much faster 3/

So, a shorter incubation period for #Delta leads to fewer pre-symptomatic phase transmission events; bad news for the infected, good news for society. If people get symptoms, they isolate & can't act as asymptomatic spreaders 4/

#Delta seems to burn bright but short, meaning cases suddenly explode near-vertically, but also, without too much effort, collapse as forcefully. Two months up, two down! 5/

Together with shorter incubation periods, it might explain steep upward & downward slopes of Delta waves in #India & #Nepal 6/

But, India's wave never returned to a starting point & are plateauing on a higher level, even starting to turn up. That's terrible! Would it imply that #Delta, thanks to its high infectiousness, regroups, finds new hosts? And is now ready to start a wave all over again? 7/

More on unique transmission dynamics of Delta 👇

https://twitter.com/x2IndSpeculator/status/1408065120794595333