After showing signs of flattening the curve, Covid cases in the United Kingdom have started increasing again. In the last 24 hours, the country witnessed 18,720 fresh coronavirus cases, the highest since early February. The country also recorded 23 deaths, bringing the overall national death toll to 1,28,089. The recent surge in fresh coronavirus cases in the country, triggered by the Delta variant indicates that the third wave of the pandemic is already underway.
Covid third wave in the United Kingdom
A few days back, Professor Adam Finn, who advises on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) had also warned that the third wave of Covid has begun in the United Kingdom. Finn warned that the United Kingdom is now witnessing a firm race between the Delta variant of Covid and the ongoing vaccination rollout.
According to the latest updates, 44 million people have received the first shot of Covid vaccine in the UK, while 32.2 million people have got both the doses. Medical experts believe that the coronavirus may continue to evolve in the coming years, and even the available vaccines could turn out to be ineffective against the mutated variants.
Possibilities of a third wave in India
The coronavirus graph in India is quite similar to the UK. As the second wave of coronavirus pandemic is showing strong signs of slowing down, medical experts strongly predict the possibility of a third wave outbreak, especially after the detection of the Delta Plus variant.
AIIMS director Randeep Guleria had also predicted the possibility of a third wave. According to Guleria, people are now least bothered to follow Covid protocols, and it could be one of the driving factor behind the trigger of the third wave.
"As we have started unlocking, there is again a lack of Covid-appropriate behaviour. We don't seem to have learnt from what happened between the first and the second wave. Again crowds are building up, people are gathering. It will take some time for the number of cases to start rising at the national level. Third wave is inevitable and it could hit the country within the next six to eight weeks, may be a little longer," said Guleria.
A recent study report from IIT Kanpur had also suggested that the third wave of the Covid pandemic is imminent. According to the study report the third wave of the pandemic could hit the country by September or October.
