site.btaAll Seven People with COVID Delta Variant in Bulgaria Work in Sofia's Public Transport

June 28 (BTA) - Iva Hristova, Director of the National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, told a briefing on Monday that all seven persons found to be infected with the COVID-19 Delta variant in Bulgaria work in Sofia's public transport. The Health Ministry said on Monday morning that seven cases of the Delta variant and one of the Beta, or South African, variant have been identified in Bulgaria.

The person with the Beta variant is a foreigner who is temporarily residing in Bulgaria, Hristova said.

She said the contacts of the seven Delta cases will be traced, and it will be checked if the patients had travelled abroad.

Given that the Delta variant is much more transmissible, many more cases are expected within a couple of week, Hristova said.

She added that the vaccines used in Bulgaria are effective against the Beta and Delta variants, and warned about a new spike in infections in the summer.

Chief State Health Inspector Angel Kounchev said the Delta variant will become the dominant variant in Europe, including Bulgaria, by the end of the summer.

Kounchev said the Delta variant affects a younger age group, but without a marked difference in the course of the disease. This variant is 60 per cent more transmissible, meaning that 60 per cent less of the virus is enough to cause infection. In his words, the healthcare system in Bulgaria is much better prepared now. The expert stressed once again the importance of vaccination.

Kounchev said that new restrictions in this country are not planned for now as the Delta variant spreads in much the same way as the others. It is enough to follow the measures that are in place now, he said.

A new instruction is to be issued within two days about arrivals from countries with low or high COVID prevalence. RY,RI/ZH