"UK Variant COVID-19, Highly Contagious and Also Has High Fatality Rate"

Boris Johnson UK Prime Minister Announcement

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] British Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that the variant of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) originating from the UK not only has higher transmissibility but may also lead to a higher fatality rate.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

On the 22nd (local time), Prime Minister Johnson said at a COVID-19 response press conference, "The variant virus appears not only to spread faster but also to be associated with a higher level of fatality."

Scientists from the New Respiratory Virus Threat Advisory Group compared the confirmed cases and death rates of the original virus and the variant virus, finding that the variant could cause 30% more deaths compared to the original virus.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the government's Chief Scientific Adviser, explained that among 1,000 COVID-19 patients aged 60 infected with the original virus, about 10 died, but with the variant virus, the number increased to about 13.

However, he noted that this has not yet been definitively proven and requires further analysis.

Sir Vallance said that existing COVID-19 vaccines still appear effective against the UK variant, but expressed concern that vaccines may be less effective against variants first identified in South Africa and Brazil.