Device maker Cardiovascular Systems warns of hit to sales from Delta variant

(Reuters) - Medical device maker Cardiovascular Systems Inc on Wednesday warned of lower-than-expected sales in the first quarter, as the Delta variant of the coronavirus threatens to dent the recovery in demand for non-urgent surgeries.

The U.S.-based company, which makes products used in heart procedures, said increased hospitalizations in Florida, Texas and other heavily impacted areas has constrained the capacity of hospitals to conduct procedures that use its products.

The company did not withdraw or update its fiscal-year forecast, but said https://bit.ly/3CzwGa9 in a regulatory filing that it expected the impact to be greater than 10% from its prior expectations.

The company in August had forecast fiscal-year 2022 sales of between $295 million and $305 million.

Larger rival Medtronic Plc had also said last month that it expected infections from the Delta variant to peak in the next few weeks, while noting that demand for devices used in heart procedures have been hit recently.

(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)