Studies show that the coronavirus variant first detected in the UK is more likely to be lethal than the original strain, British government scientists said in an evaluation released on Friday.
Why it matters: The more contagious B.1.1.7 variant has been discovered in 82 countries, including the United States, according to the New York Times.
- Cases of the new variant could double in the US almost every ten days and could be the dominant version of the virus in the country by March, according to a study published by MedRxiv this week.
Details: In the new assessment, British scientists estimate that the variant may be 30% to 70% more deadly than the original strain.
- But they added that they would need more data on deaths in extensive studies before they could definitively conclude that the variant is more lethal.
- The new development comes about two months after the British government warned that the B.1.1.7 variant is more transmissible than other forms of the virus.
The whole picture: Moderna and Pfizer both found that their vaccines were effective against the British variant and another variant first discovered in South Africa.
Go deeper: New coronavirus variants could lead to a longer, more deadly pandemic