Delta Coronavirus Variant Appears in Sri Lanka

The Delta variant of the coronavirus, first detected in India, has been detected in neighboring Sri Lanka.  

“It is the worst we could have imaged at such a time,” Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, director of the Allergy, Immunity and Cell Biology Unit at the Sri Jayewardenepura University, told The Hindu newspaper.  “We are already dealing with a spike in cases with the Alpha variant. Delta poses a greater risk because our vaccine coverage is low, and among those who are vaccinated a majority have got only one dose.” According to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center, Sri Lanka, a nation of about 22 million people, has more than 233,000 COVID cases. In South Korea, a delay in the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines has pushed the government to offer its residents mixed doses.   People who received the Astra Zeneca vaccine as a first dose will now be offered the Pfizer vaccine for the second.