COVID variants of concern more virulent, study saysCOVID-19 variants of concern (VOCs), especially the Delta (B1617.2) variant, are more virulent than the wild type, according to an Ontario-based study published in CMAJ yesterday.
The cohort included 212,326 cases of non-VOCs (22.4%) and VOCs with the N501Y mutation (76.7%), such as Alpha (B117), Beta (B1351), Gamma (P1), and Delta.The researchers found that the VOCs had a 52% increased risk of hospitalization (95% confidence interval [CI], 42% to 63%), 89% increased risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission (95% CI, 67% to 117%), and a 51% increased risk of death (95% CI, 30% to 78%).The Delta variant, although only 2.8% of the sample size, was associated with a 108% increased risk of