Geneva: Even with the emergence of the new Mu variant, the Delta strain remains the top concern globally, appearing to outcompete others, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
"I think the Delta variant for me is the one that's most concerning because of the increased transmissibility," said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the agency’s Technical Lead for Covid-19 Pandemic, speaking during an online question and answer session.
"It's doubly transmissible compared to the ancestral strain, which means that it can spread to more people," she told journalists.
Dr. Van Kerkhove said that Delta continues to evolve and scientists are studying to see how the virus might be changing, with new variants continuing to emerge.
Last week, WHO announced it was closely monitoring the Mu variant, also known as B.1621, which was first identified in Colombia in January 2021.
It is among five "variants of interest" the agency is tracking at the global level.
Mu has a number of mutations that suggest it could be more resistant to vaccines, WHO said at the time, noting that further research will be needed.
Dr. Van Kerkhove reported that the proportion of Mu cases in South America is increasing, but numbers are decreasing in other countries where the Delta variant is circulating.
Globally, the overall covid-19 caseload is quite a worrying situation, according to Dr. Van Kerkhove.
While covid-19 cases have plateaued, some 4.5 million are reported each week, with deaths hovering around 68,000 weekly, and both numbers are underestimates.
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