Caretaker Minister of Health Hamad Hassan announced in a tweet yesterday that the ministry has recorded the first 9 cases of the Covid-19 Delta variant, a new variant that is causing concerns around the world for being more aggressive in its contagion.
Hassan stated that the highly contagious variant was detected in travelers who came from the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Baghdad, and Riyadh.
The Delta variant, which was initially identified in India, has quickly become the most dominant form of the Coronavirus due to its highly contagious nature. It was described as a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization (WHO) because of its rate of transmission.
It is over 40% more transmittable than its predecessors, which raises huge concerns over the possibility of a new wave of the virus.
Experts stipulate that the Delta variant “will soon become the dominant strain of COVID-19 infections.”
Petra Khouri, Public Health Advisor to the Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab, addressed these concerns by stating that “the world is heading for a new wave of the Coronavirus.”
When asked about the new Delta variant during a vaccination campaign in the Matn district, Hamad Hassan emphasized that “vaccination is the only way for protection.”
Lebanon has so far administered over 1.3 million doses of the vaccine since the launch of the campaign.
However, this Delta variant comes at a time where the country cannot bear another lockdown due to its many economic implications.
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