Two studies published this Tuesday, April 13, 2021 show that the English variant does not cause more serious forms of Covid-19 compared to other strains of the virus. In contrast, studies agree that the English variant is more contagious than other strains of the virus.
The English variant would not cause more serious forms of Covid-19
The first study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases was based on data from 341 patients hospitalized in London between November 9 and December 20. In total, 58% of them were infected with the English variant (also known by its lineage name, B.1.1.7), and 42%, were infected with other strains. The researchers found that 36% of patients in the first group fell seriously ill or died, compared to 38% in the second group. In other words, the English variant would not be associated with greater severity. In contrast, the study authors noted that samples from patients infected with the variant contained, on average, a greater amount of virus, meaning it has a higher transmissibility index.
The second study, published in The Lancet Public Health, looked at data from around 37,000 UK users of a mobile application developed to report their Covid symptoms, who were diagnosed positive between September 28 and December 27. The results also showed that the variant does not cause more severe symptoms but has a reproduction rate 1.35 times higher than other strains. In other words, each infected patient infected an average of 35% more people.
Results to be confirmed by larger studies
While previous studies reported that the British variant had a higher likelihood of death and severe forms of the disease, three researchers from the National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID) in Singapore pointed out in a commentary on the first study, that its conclusion ” reassuring ” must ” be confirmed by larger studies “. Yes ” this study focuses on the clinical results of a group of people already hospitalized with Covid-19 “, As the epidemiologist Nicholas Davies observes, she” does not contradict the elements already gathered by previous studies ”, which tend to show that“ infection with B.1.1.7 is globally associated with a higher risk of mortality, hospitalization and admission to emergency rooms among all individuals tested positive for Sars-CoV-2 »He explains.
