The Delta variant, found for the first time in India, could account for 90 percent of new COVID-19 cases in the European Union in the coming months, the bloc's disease control agency said Wednesday. 

"Based on the estimated transmission advantage of the Delta variant and using modelling forecasts, 70% of new SARS-CoV-2 infections are projected to be due to this variant in the EU/EEA by early August and 90% of infections by the end of August," the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), said in a statement.

The agency estimated that the Delta variant (B.1.617.2), is 40 to 60 percent more contagious than the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7), first discovered in the UK.

(With input from AFP)