Halt plans for Euro trips: Delta variant of COVID is now a dominant strain in Europe, warns WHO

The SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant of COVID is now the dominant variant in most of Europe, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned recently.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the WHO stated that efforts must be reinforced to control the spread of Delta variant.
The WHO Regional Office for Europe and the ECDC reiterated that between June 28 and July 11, the Delta variant was the dominant in the majority of the countries, i.e., it dominated 19 out of the 28 countries. The statement from WHO and ECDC added that in these 19 countries, the median proportion of all nationally sequenced virus isolates detected that were Delta was 68.3 per cent, overtaking the previously dominant Alpha variant across the region.
As per the reports, the Delta variant will be the dominant strain globally over the coming months, which has already become a matter of concern in almost all European countries. Reportedly, the variant will continue to spread, which will likely displace further circulation of other variants, unless a more advanced virus emerges.
Also, as per the ECDC’s latest statement, the emergence of significantly more transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as the B.1.617.2 (Delta) is causing a surge in COVID-19 cases in several EU/EEA countries.

As per the statement, this will likely continue until a greater number of the general population is fully vaccinated, and until more stringent non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) are in place.