Alarm in US as UK coronavirus variant spreads: ‘can quickly overwhelm a nation’
- 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The paper was posted online on Sunday and has not yet been peer reviewed, but it does offer the most comprehensive look at the rise of B.1.1.7 in the country hit hardest by the pandemic.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.