The Delta variant of the coronavirus is rapidly advancing in the European Union and some neighbouring countries.
The variant, which was discovered in India, will be responsible for 90 percent of all new corona infections by the end of August, the European health agency ECDC in Stockholm expects.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control emphasizes that the Delta variant is more contagious than other variants, such as the Alpha variant from Great Britain, which still predominates.
It is very likely that the Delta variant will be widely circulated this summer, especially among younger individuals who are not being vaccinated, the ECDC said.
This could put more vulnerable individuals at risk of becoming infected, becoming seriously ill or dying if they are not fully vaccinated.