How does the new Covid-19 variant spread?

Team Udayavani, Jan 3, 2021, 11:21 AM IST

The new strain of Covid-19 has led to an increase in concerns due to its ability of high transmission. The Imperial College study has found that the new variant increases the Reproduction or R number by between 0.4 and 0.7.

All evidence so far suggests that the new mutant, called B.1.1.7, is more transmissible than previous forms. It first surfaced in September in Britain but already accounts for more than 60% of new cases in London and neighboring areas.

Also, early results indicated that the virus was spreading more quickly among under-20s, particularly among secondary school age children. But the very latest data indicates that it was spreading quickly across all age groups

According to BBC, a few preliminary evidence from Britain suggests that people infected with the new variant tend to carry greater amounts of the virus in their noses and throats than those infected with previous versions.

However, the findings are still in its early days and researchers are working to find out how the new strain spreads