Laboratory research has detected higher viral loads with the Delta variant of COVID-19 amongst other factors.

However, the World Health Organization are still trying to ascertain why the delta variant is more transmissible.

WHO Technical lead in COVID-19, Doctor Maria Van Kerkhove says although the delta variant has increased hospitalization rate, diseases caused by the virus does not require a change in the virus strain identification.

“And so the name COVID-19 reflects the disease itself and so we haven’t discussed changing that because the disease itself is the same.”

Dr Van Kerkhove says that at the moment diseases range from asymptomatic, severe infections and death.

The death rate is still low and does not warrant a change in strain from COVID-19 to COVID-20.

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