(CNN) — The delta variant of covid-19 (B1.617.2), first identified in India, accounts for 99% of new coronavirus cases in the UK, according to the latest Public Health England (PHE) data.
33,630 cases of the delta variant were identified in the week to June 14, bringing the total number of cases of the variant in the UK to 75,953, PHE said on Friday.
As of June 14, a total of 806 people had been hospitalized with the delta variant, an increase of 423 from last week, according to the report.
The new data suggests that the Oxford / AstraZeneca and Pfizer / BioNTech vaccines are approximately 75% effective at preventing delta variant hospitalization after a single dose, and 94% effective after two doses.
Dr Jenny Harries, executive director of the UK Health Security Agency warned on Friday that cases of the delta variant were “increasing rapidly” in the UK and that the variant is now “dominant”.
“The increase is mainly in the younger age groups, a large proportion of whom were not vaccinated but are now being invited to receive the vaccine,” he added.
–
