Establishing a direct correlation between low vaccination and COVID-19 Delta variant spread, Dr. Ashish Jha, Dean, Brown University School of Public Health, said that areas in the United States where a large number of people have refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine have seen a spike in coronavirus spread, NDTV reported.

Dr. Jha said: “Vaccination is low in large parts of the US and those areas are witnessing a spike in COVID-19 cases, mostly driven by the Delta variant.”

He explained that there are two very different sets of experiences in America vis-à-vis the virus. In certain parts of the United States, where 85 to 90 percent of adults are vaccinated, such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the COVID-19 case count is very low.

However, in areas such as Arkansas, Ohio, and Wyoming, most people have chosen not to get vaccinated. Such areas and communities have seen a very large spike in COVID-19 cases, dominated by the Delta variant.

Dr. Jha added, at present, 70-80 percent of coronavirus infections in the US are of the Delta variant and they are concentrated among the unvaccinated community.

He further said that the Delta strain of coronavirus, which was first detected in India, will soon become the dominant strain of the virus in the whole world as it is so much more contagious and virulent.

It has already spread to several countries leading to a fresh surge in COVID-19 cases in Australia, Israel, and South Africa as well.