The coronavirus variant first identified in the UK is spreading more easily than older strains, but does not lead to more severe disease among hospitalized patients, a new study has found.
People infected at the end of last year with the variant, known as B.1.1.7, had more virus in their bodies than patients infected with older strains, a sign that the newer variant is more infectious, according to the study published online Monday by the journal medical Infectious Diseases Lancet. But patients hospitalized with B.1.1.7 did not die at higher rates or had poorer overall results.
The findings add to scientists’ understanding of the impact of B.1.1.7, which has become particularly important now that the strain has come to dominate cases in the UK, the US and other countries.
“If you need hospitalization, you’re not worse off with this variant compared to the previous virus strain,” said Eleni Nastouli, a virologist and pediatrician at University College London and lead author on the paper.
“Of course, if you need hospitalization for Covid, it’s a concern,” she added. “But it’s nothing more than the previous strain.”