The researchers, from several institutions in the United Kingdom, analyzed data from more than 100,000 patients tested positive for Covid-19 between October and January, and were followed up until mid-February.
The researchers looked closely at which tests detected the variant compared to those from previously circulating variants.
The study showed that the new variant was associated with 227 deaths in a sample of 54,906 patients – compared with 141 deaths among the same number of patients infected with previous strains.
“There is a clear separation that takes place two weeks after that – so I would like to have more understanding of what the authors think it can be caused,” said Adalja, who was not involved in the new study.
“Are they getting bacterial infections because they have been in the hospital for longer? Are they more likely to have blood clots? What complication is causing this delay in death?” Said Adalja. “This is what I found most interesting.”
“This study confirms previous work that shows that infection with the virus variant B.1.1.7 is associated with an increased risk of death,” said Young in part. “The precise mechanisms responsible for the increase in mortality associated with the variant remain uncertain, but they may be related to higher levels of virus replication, as well as greater transmissibility.”
Dr. Julian Tang, an honorary associate professor and clinical virologist at the University of Leicester, said in a statement that “he is still not very convinced by these results” of the study.
Colder winter temperatures can exacerbate underlying conditions – such as heart, lung, kidney and chronic neurological diseases – that can predispose people to more serious Covid-19 or even death, Tang said in a statement distributed by the Science Media Center.
“We really need to revisit this in the spring to take into account the cold weather factor,” as well as other seasonal variables, he said in part.
Further research is also needed to determine whether similar findings will emerge among more patients from other parts of the world.
“The variant of the concern, in addition to being more transmissible, appears to be more lethal,” wrote the researchers in their study. “We hope that this is associated with changes in its phenotypic properties because of multiple genetic mutations, and we see no reason why this discovery is specific to the United Kingdom.”
As variant B.1.1.7 continues to spread in the United States, Adalja said the nation should closely examine the possibility of an increased risk of death.
“If we take this as true – that this variant is more deadly, as well as being more contagious – it underscores the need to bring the vaccine faster into people’s arms, because we know that our vaccines are stable and robust against this variant , “Said Adalja.” The better we inject people with the vaccine, the less of a problem with this variant. “