OREANDA-NEWS. In Russia, isolated cases of a variety of the strain of coronavirus delta AY.4.2 were detected, said Kamil Khafizov, head of the scientific group for the development of new methods for diagnosing human diseases at the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor.

"In some circles, the new genovariant is called delta plus, but the same name previously referred to another variant and therefore there is now some confusion," he told reporters.

The scientist clarified that AY.4.2 is one of the many branches of the "delta" line, which probably has advantages over the original and other versions of the virus. It is still difficult to say how much more contagious the mutation is, scientists are investigating this issue.

Khafizov noted that the likelihood of widespread distribution of AY.4.2 in Russia and the world is quite high. "The frequency of this subline is increasing, but experts do not believe that it is she who is responsible for the continuing large number of daily cases of coronavirus infection in various countries," he added.

The representative of Rospotrebnadzor did not rule out that this type of delta could provoke an additional rise in the incidence. He stressed that only vaccination can help in the fight against it, especially among those who have not yet had COVID-19.

At the same time, Khafizov assured that the vaccines used in Russia are quite effective against AY.4.2. "It is not so different as to drastically change the ability of binding to antibodies. And judging by the fact that it has mutations in the S-protein, then, most likely, it is more associated with infectiousness, and not with the severity of the course of the disease. ", - explained the epidemiologist.

UK Health Minister Sajid Javid admitted yesterday that a new variant of the delta strain is spreading in the country. According to British scientists, AY.4.2 may be ten to fifteen percent more infectious than the original delta.