CDC warns America of ‘dominant’ UK variant

The more transmissible Covid-19 variant which was first detected in the UK late last year and has now spread to several countries across the globe, could become the dominant virus strain in the US by March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned in a report.

In the report issued on Friday, the CDC said new variant, which is 70 per cent more contagious, "could threaten already strained health care resources, require extended and more rigorous use of public health strategies and increase the percentage of the population immunity needed for herd immunity", The Hill news website reported.

The US has reported 76 variant cases across 10 states.

According to a model developed by the CDC, "rapid growth" of the variant is expected in the US in early 2021 before it becomes the dominant strain in March.