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| New coronavirus model diagram. © News1 DB |
US health experts warned that the spread of infected people from the coronavirus virus could occur in the US in the middle of next month.
According to CNN on the 25th (local time), Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, appeared on CNN’s’New Day’ and said that the number of infected people from the highly infectious UK mutant virus is expected to surge within a few weeks.
“B.1.1.7, a mutant virus from the UK in the United States, is doubling every 10 days,” he said.
“The virus gradually spreads up to 4, 6, and even 8 weeks, and then suddenly spreads explosively like a wildfire,” said Osterholm. “I am concerned about the third week of next month.”
He continued, “I am concerned that millions of elderly people 65 years of age or older will not be able to complete the first dose of the vaccine by the end of next month.”
In addition, he said, “We have convincing data that the vaccine has a remarkable effect with just one vaccination.”
B.1.1.7 was first discovered in the UK in December of last year. It is 70% more contagious than the existing virus and is spreading to countries around the world, including Europe, the United States, and Argentina.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are more than 1880 cases of the mutant virus in 45 states.
Earlier, Dr. Trevor Bedford of the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center said that B.1.1.7 “may cause more waves” in April and May.