The new COVID-19 strain is spreading faster, says the UK medical chief

by

FILE PHOTO: This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (blue round objects), also known as the new coronavirus, the virus that causes COVID-19, which emerges from the surface of cells grown in the laboratory, which was isolated by a patient in the US NIAID-RML / Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT

LONDON (Reuters) – A new strain of COVID-19 identified in the UK could spread faster and urgent work is underway to confirm it does not cause a higher mortality rate, England Medical Director Chris Whitty said on Saturday.

“As announced on Monday, the United Kingdom has identified a new variant of Covid-19 by genomic surveillance of public health in England,” Whitty said in a statement.

“Following the rapid spread of the new variant, preliminary modeling data and the rapidly increasing incidence rate in the south-east, the Advisory Group on New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats (NERVTAG) now considers that the new strain may spread more rapidly. quick.”

Reported by Michael Holden, edited by William Maclean

.Source