Delta Variant Now Dominant In CA, New Data Shows

CALIFORNIA — A significant increase in delta variant coronavirus cases concerns scientists and public health officials after new data this week showed that the strain had become dominant in the Golden State.

The highly transmissible strain accounted for almost 36 percent of the coronavirus cases detected in June — a huge uptick from 5.6 percent sequenced in May, according to data from the state. The rising case numbers threatened the Golden State's progress in ending the pandemic and posed a risk for those who are unvaccinated.

Dr. Tomás Aragón, the state's public health officer, said he expected delta cases to keep rising.

It remains to be seen whether the 4th of July holiday will contribute to rising case numbers in the state as gatherings and events resumed statewide.

"We are closely monitoring the spread of COVID-19 and its variants across our state. COVID-19 has not gone away. If you are not vaccinated, you are still at risk," he said in a statement on Friday.

The delta variant in June surpassed alpha, the previous dominant variant in California, which was first discovered in the United Kingdom. Alpha accounted for 34.3 percent of cases last month.

Scientists also identified a "delta plus" mutation, which may be even more transmissible than the original delta variant, Dr. Nevan Krogan, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco, told ABC7.

"It's mutating compared to other viruses incredibly quickly. I think a big part of that is because there is a significant percentage of people who are getting infected and are asymptomatic," Krogan told the station. "So the world is really a huge petri dish."

Federal and state leaders are still pushing for residents to get inoculated as immunizations significantly slowed in the past several months.

"It is the most hypertransmissible, contagious version of the virus we’ve seen to date, for sure — it’s a superspreader strain if there ever was one," Eric Topol told Scientific American. He's a professor of molecular medicine and an executive vice president at the Scripps Research Institution.

More Than Half Are Vaccinated

"Our resolve to reach those who have not yet gotten their shot is only strengthened because of the spread of the delta variant," Jeff Zients, White House coronavirus response coordinator, said last week.

In California, 59.6 percent of adults have been fully vaccinated, according to data released Monday. Hospitalizations have also risen by 20 percent, with 1,097 coronavirus patients receiving care as of Saturday — up from 915 on June 12, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"We know the delta variant is contagious — and is on the rise," Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted last week. "We know our hospitalizations are creeping up — and most of the patients are unvaccinated. We also know the science is clear — getting vaccinated protects you AND those around you. Get vaccinated."

In total, 634 delta variant cases have been recorded statewide, an increase from 372 cases in late June.

Current vaccines reportedly protect against delta, but the variant is 50 percent more transmissible.

"There's no reason to assume that these variants will completely escape an immune response from vaccinated people," Dr. Timothy Brewer, an infectious disease expert and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, told Patch in June. "For example, we know that variants that have similar mutations, such as the South Africa one, there are data to show that, particularly the mRNA vaccines, still provide protective immunity — albeit at a lower level — so I would assume they'll similarly perform against the delta variant."

So it's still possible to become infected, but the chances of severe disease are low.

"The most important thing we can do to stop the spread of COVID-19 and the variants is ensure everyone who is eligible gets vaccinated," Aragón said.

Out of 20 million vaccinated Californians, about 0.003 percent, or 584 people, still contracted coronavirus and required hospitalization, state officials said Friday. The data showed that currently offered vaccines — Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Moderna — offered protection from the coronavirus, including the delta variant, officials said.

The data and science clearly demonstrated that vaccines are effective at preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19, including the delta variant.

Do It For The Children: Officials

"As a father and pediatrician, I urge all eligible Californians to get vaccinated to not only protect themselves, but the children in their lives and in their communities who are not able to get vaccinated," said Dr. Mark Ghaly, California Health and Human Services Secretary, said in a statement. "The data is clear: nearly all new COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths are preventable. The vaccines work and they protect us."

Cases of the dangerous variant have been rising all over the state, but an alarming rate of spread was detected in Los Angeles, where public health officials urged residents to mask up indoors, despite an easing of statewide restrictions.

More than 245 cases of the delta variant were confirmed in the county Thursday, nearly double the number from the previous week. The county conducted limited sequencing tests needed to identify the variants, so the number cannot be extrapolated across the population, but delta has become the most dominant variant detected in the county.

Nearly 4 million residents in L.A. County were still unvaccinated as of Thursday.

"If you are unvaccinated, consider getting your vaccination now to increase your protection as other public health precautions have been lifted; talk to a friend or loved one who has been vaccinated, and ask them about their experience," Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said over the weekend. "Vaccines provide us with the best tool for ending this pandemic that has plagued us for so many months."

READ MORE: 4 Things To Know About The Rapidly Spreading Delta Variant In CA