The Delta variant accounts for nearly all sequenced samples of SARS-CoV-2 reported to a central database, according to Business Insider.
A report out this week from the World Health Organization says that of the 799,645 sequences from samples collected in the past 60 days uploaded to GISAID, 99.7 percent were the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2. The Alpha variant, by comparison, made up less than 0.1 percent of samples. The WHO report notes, though, that there are variations by geography. The spread of Delta has been more gradual in many South American countries where other variants are present in larger proportions, it adds.
Business Insider further notes that not all countries have access to sequencing facilities and that there could be delays in reporting to GISAID that could affect the counts.
Researchers are also keeping an eye on the Delta sublineage AY.4.2 that appears to be becoming more common in the UK, Business Insider says, noting that a report from last week indicated that it may account for nearly 15 percent of Delta SARS-CoV-2 cases there.