'Ominous' Delta Variant To Become Predominant Strain in Mississippi, Dr. Dobbs Warns
State health officials are warning of the growing Delta variant of COVID-19, a strain of the virus experts have identified as significantly more infectious and potentially more lethal than wild-type coronavirus.
“Delta variant increasingly rapidly in MS,” State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs wrote earlier today on social media. “Let’s pay attention to Missouri. I predict it will be our dominant strain in 1-3 weeks.”
Dobbs’ comments represent an alarming acknowledgment of a viral trend growing in the South. Missouri currently has the nation’s highest rate of new cases of COVID-19, a daily case average of 693. Just as concerning, that average is on a steep incline, up 40% from only two weeks ago.
Arkansas, too, is on a steeper incline still, with 55% more cases on average than two weeks ago. The Delta variant has yet to seriously penetrate the Magnolia State, with only 29 reported cases thus far. But looking ahead in the metrics and early warning-signs, Dobbs has seen fit to raise the alarms. “New batch of testing (is) ominous,” Dobbs wrote.
Read more: https://www.mississippifreepress.org/13297/ominous-delta-variant-to-become-predominant-strain-in-mississippi-dr-dobbs-warns/