While the more contagious Delta variant may cause an increase in the number of cases, it is not more dangerous and is unlikely to cause hospital overcrowding. (Photo: LNS)

While the more contagious Delta variant may cause an increase in the number of cases, it is not more dangerous and is unlikely to cause hospital overcrowding. (Photo: LNS)

The Delta variant (ex-Indian variant) is now dominant in Luxembourg, according to the latest LNS report. 40 to 80% more contagious than the Alpha variant, it now represents 59.4% of new Covid-19 cases in the country.

The Delta variant (formerly known as the "Indian variant") is now dominant in Luxembourg, according to data from the Revilux study published by the Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS) on Friday 2 July.

With 59.4% of new positive cases of covid-19 linked to the Delta variant during the week of 14 to 20 June, this variant has overtaken the Alpha variant (ex-English variant), which represents 29.7% of new cases, after having been in the majority for months.

This news had been predictable for several weeks, since the Delta variant is 40 to 80% more contagious than the Alpha variant.

A variant that is therefore more contagious, but not more dangerous, and against which vaccines work well, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) assures.

The Delta variant could therefore cause a slight increase in the number of cases, according to Dr Trung Nguyen. But it is unlikely to cause hospital overcrowding, he said.

The number of cases has indeed increased in recent days in Luxembourg. 108 cases of covid-19 were detected on 30 June, after 92 cases the day before. The number of people infected in 24 hours had not exceeded 100 since 18 May.

Faced with the increase in the number of cases of covid-19 due to the Delta variant, Portugal reinstated a curfew on Friday in several municipalities, including Lisbon. In the United Kingdom, where the Delta variant has also been detected, the government had to postpone the lifting of the latest restrictions.