FAST-SPREADING COVID-19 VARIANT

Coronavirus from UK set to become dominant in US

Steps urged to contain new strain of virus originally discovered in the U.K. that could become dominant in the U.S. by March.

The COVID-19 variant that emerged in the U.K. and sparked concerns of faster spread could become dominant in the U.S. as soon as March, government public health researchers said in a report.

Several lines of evidence indicate the strain spreads faster than other versions, and steps should be taken to reduce its transmission, including increased genomic surveillance and adherence to public health measures like testing and mask wearing, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday in the report.

“Increased SARS-CoV-2 transmission might threaten strained health care resources, require extended and more rigorous implementation of public health strategies, and increase the percentage of population immunity required for pandemic control,” the report said.

The variant, called B.1.1.7, has already been spotted in the U.S., with about 76 cases confirmed in the country to date, according to the CDC. The agency’s projection was based on modeling that showed rapid growth of the variant early this year, which could further undermine the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines that’s been marked by missed deadlines and underuse of supplies.

The variant currently makes up less than about 0.5% of circulating viruses, the agency estimated in the report, although the exact prevalence of B.1.1.7 in the U.S. is not currently known.

U.K. health officials have attributed a recent surge in cases to the variant’s ability to spread and have imposed strict lockdown measures.