Cases of a dangerous Covid-19 variant are 'rapidly increasing' in US, expert says

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(CNN)As US states lift more coronavirus restrictions, experts are worried people who aren't fully vaccinated could contribute to further spread of the virus.

The Delta variant, first reported in India, currently accounts for nearly 10% of coronavirus cases in the US, according to the CDC.

With concerns it could become the dominant strain soon, medical experts are underscoring the importance of full vaccination.

"I'm worried about those who are unvaccinated," US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy told CNN Tuesday, noting the Delta variant "is rapidly increasing here in the United States."


The CDC has determined the Delta variant is a "variant of concern," a designation given to strains of the virus that scientists believe are more transmissible or can cause more severe disease.

The Delta variant "appears to be significantly more transmissible than even the Alpha variant or the UK variant, which is now dominant in the United States," Murthy told CNN.

"The second reason it's concerning is that there is some data to indicate that it may in fact also be more dangerous, may cause more severe illness. That still needs to be understood more clearly, but these are two important concerns and they explain in part ... why this is become the dominant variant in the U.K., where over 90% of cases are the Delta variant," Murthy said.


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