Delta variant dominates US, Australia; govts concerned as cases on the rise

Delta variant of Covid-19, which was first found in India is a growing cause of concern for governments as cases are on the rise and authorities are unable to curb the spread of the infection.

Covid cases are rising rapidly in the United States as the highly contagious Delta variant dominates, data showed on Wednesday. The seven-day average of new cases was 13,859 as of July 6, up 21 percent compared to two weeks earlier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The spike comes as the Delta variant, which is more transmissible than any previous strain, accounted for around 52 per cent of cases in the two weeks ending July 3.

Meanwhile, in Australia, officials are struggling to stamp out a growing cluster of the highly infectious Delta variant in Sydney. New South Wales state on Thursday reported its biggest daily rise in locally acquired cases of COVID-19 for 2021. New South Wales reported 38 new local cases, up from 27 a day earlier, as its capital Sydney prepares for a third week of a lockdown. A strict stay-at-home order enforced in Sydney was extended until July 16 after restrictions failed to curtail the spread.