UK variant coronavirus strain is significantly more transmissible - study

The study claims that those infected with the variant strain are more likely to pass the virus on to others and within that infect more people.

By ZACHARY KEYSER
Tourists wear protective masks in Saint Mark's Square in Venice as Italy battles a coronavirus outbreak, Venice, Italy, February 27, 2020 (photo credit: REUTERS/MANUEL SILVESTRI)
Tourists wear protective masks in Saint Mark's Square in Venice as Italy battles a coronavirus outbreak, Venice, Italy, February 27, 2020
(photo credit: REUTERS/MANUEL SILVESTRI)
The new coronavirus variant discovered in England that made headlines just before Christmas is seemingly more transmissible than the original viral strain, according to research led by the Imperial College of London in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other UK-based educational institutions.
The study, which has yet to be peer-reviewed, claims that those infected with the variant strain , known as B.1.1.7., are more likely to pass the virus on to others and within that infect more people with comparison to the original.
Technically the variant of concern has an "additive increase" in transmissibility (R) by a range of 0.4 and 0.7, with a "multiplicative increase" in transmissibility which "ranged between a 50% and 75% advantage."
"In contrast to previous genetic variants which have achieved high prevalence, we see expansion of the variant of concern from within the United Kingdom and a pattern of faster epidemic growth in tandem with expansion of the variant of concern has been repeated in multiple regions," the study authors wrote.
The number of cases in Britain has soared in the past few weeks because of the virus variant - which has popped up in all corners of the world - causing multiple countries to shutter their borders to UK passengers in the hopes of stymieing the spread of the new variant within their home states.
Like other countries in Europe, Britain is battling to contain new waves of the virus. One of the worst hit countries in the world, it recorded 53,285 cases in the last 24 hours on Friday, and 613 new deaths.
The rise in cases compares with the 55,892 that were reported on Thursday, while the death tally marks a fall from the 964 reported the day before.
The United Kingdom has recorded more than 50,000 new daily cases of the virus for the past four days, driven in part by a variant of concern that is much more infectious, and a rise in the number of people who are dying each day.
In light, British health officials have reactivated emergency hospitals that were built at the start of the pandemic to handle a surge in COVID-19 cases that is putting existing wards under extreme pressure, particularly in London.
Medics have warned they are struggling to cope, especially when so many colleagues are off sick or having to self-isolate, and paramedics and nurses have had to treat patients in ambulances because of a shortage of available beds.
An email to staff from the Royal London Hospital said it was now in "disaster medicine mode."
Reuters contributed to this report.