Delta variant infecting mounting number of people in rural Kansas and Missouri

ABCNews

By Marlene Lenthang
In this Feb. 11, 2021, file photo, Staff Sergeant Herbert Lins of the Missouri Army National Guard administers the Covid-19 vaccine to a resident during a vaccination event in St Louis, Missouri. (Michael Thomas/Getty Images, FILE)

The delta coronavirus variant is infecting a mounting number of people in rural Kansas and Missouri.

The variant, first detected in India in October, was upgraded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week from a "variant of interest" to a "variant of concern." The CDC estimates the delta variant accounts for about 10% of new cases in the U.S.

Missouri had the highest percentage of the delta variant at 6.8% of reported cases as of May 22, the latest CDC data.

Data from the CDC shows high community transmission in rural parts of Missouri and Kansas -- regions already struggling with slow vaccination rates.

Publish : 2021-06-20 15:20:00

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