New variant coronavirus does not cause more severe disease, British study finds By Reuters

#Dec 30 (#Reuters) – A new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus does not appear to cause more severe illness than other variants, according to a paired study by the #Public #Health agency of #England (PHE).

#Scientists say the new variant may spread more quickly. #He found himself in #England in mid-December and led other countries to impose travel restrictions on the UK. #Several countries have reported variants.

#In the study, the researchers compared 1,769 people infected with the new variant with 1,769 who had what they described as “wild-type” viruses. The two groups were matched 1: 1 based on age, sex, area of ​​residence, and time of testing.

#Of the 42 people who were hospitalized, 16 were infected with the new variant, while 26 cases had a wild-type infection, according to the study. #In terms of fatality, there were 12 deaths in the variant cases compared to 10 deaths in the wild-type cases.

“#Preliminary results from the cohort study found no statistically significant difference in hospitalization and 28-day case fatality between variant cases and wild-type comparison cases,” the study says.

There was no significant difference in the probability of reinfection with the new variant compared to the other variants, it adds.

#However, the study contends that the “secondary attack rate,” or the proportion of contacts of confirmed cases who develop the disease, was higher in people infected with the new variant.

#Andrew #Hayward, a leading epidemiologist who advises the government, warned on #Tuesday that #Britain is heading for “catastrophe” in the coming weeks if it does not crack down on the most infectious variant of the disease.

#Britain reported 53,135 new cases of COVID-19 on #Tuesday, the highest number since mass testing began in mid-2020. #British #Prime #Minister #Boris #Johnson approved the highest level of restrictions applied to more parts of the country, known as #Level 4, The #Times reported.

(#Information from #Nandakumar D and #Aakriti #Bhalla in #Bengaluru; edited in #Spanish by #Ricardo #Figueroa)