Alarm in US as UK coronavirus variant spreads: ‘can quickly overwhelm a nation’

[Feng Leng]

Alarm in US at UK virus variant: ‘can quickly overwhelm a nation’

Coronavirus variant first identified in Britain is rapidly spreading in the US, threatening to bring a surge of new cases, according a new study.

www.scmp.com

• Study suggests UK virus variant known as B.1.1.7 spreading rapidly across US
• It could become the dominant coronavirus nationwide by the end of March

A coronavirus variant first identified in Britain is rapidly spreading in the United States, threatening to bring a surge of new cases as its prevalence doubles roughly every 10 days, according to a new study.

The paper was posted online on Sunday and has not yet been peer reviewed, but it does offer the most comprehensive look at the rise of B.1.1.7 in the country hit hardest by the pandemic.
A team of scientists led by researchers at The Scripps Research Institute analysed half a million test samples collected across the country since last summer.

Rather than individually sequence all of them, they were able to identify a particular anomaly that was a “reliable proxy” for B.1.1.7.

They also analysed the full genetic sequence, a more time-consuming process, for 212 samples.

They found the variant was introduced at multiple points into the US in November 2020, and while currently low in overall frequency, it is set to become the dominant form of the virus by March.

The team added that transmission rate was at least 35-45 per cent higher than more common variants, and its prevalence is doubling every week and a half.

Britain saw devastating waves of Covid after B.1.1.7 became dominant there, and the variant has been observed in many European countries including Portugal and Ireland.

“B.1.1.7 is much more contagious – so it can quickly overwhelm a nation,” Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, tweeted in response to the paper.

Ireland had got its outbreak under control by late 2020, but in January B.1.1.7 triggered an exponential wave there that it is now recovering from.

The United States has had the world’s largest outbreak, with more than 27 million confirmed cases and 463,000 deaths, but its last wave peaked around January 8 and infections have been dropping since.

 

[W.11]

a microscopic bug is single handedly whooping ''western Hemisphere'' and make it fall from grace and status and credibility.

regards