• AY.4.2 is one of them
• Vaccines are incredibly effective against Delta
• the virus is still evolving, and the more it spreads, the more the opportunity it has to change
• the WHO is looking at the entire spectrum of studies in this regard

By Kelum Bandara

The World Health Organization (WHO) is tracking 20 sublineages of the Delta variant which is still dominant in global circulation, a leading epidemiologist said.  

WHO Technical Lead on Covid-19 Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove said there are four variants being tracked the Delta variant is by far the dominant in terms of global circulation. 

 Maria, an American epidemiologist, said the virus is still evolving, and the more it spreads,   the more the opportunity it has to change. You have heard me say that quite often.  You have also heard that you will hear us discussing.  

 We are tracking 20 sublineages of Delta. It means Delta plus additional mutations, “she said in a video message on her Twitter feed.

She said one sublineage is AY.4.2 detected in the United Kingdom.

“Essentially what we are looking at is how Delta is changing over time,” she said.  

She said the WHO is looking at the entire spectrum of studies in this regard.  Asserting that vaccines are incredibly effective against the  Delta variant in preventing severity and deaths, she said it was the good news.

The Delta variant is by far the dominant in terms of global circulation