World Coronavirus Dispatch: Santa's Belgium visit led to dozens of deaths

Understanding how the new variant spreads, how Covid-19 Slipped from China's grasp, US stocks bid farewell to 2020 at record high, and other pandemic-related news across the globe

How does the Coronavirus variant spread?

The new coronavirus variant, which first surfaced in Britain has already became the dominant virus there, and is alarming for its nature to spread more easily than the other strains. Initial data suggested that the new variant was 70 per cent more transmissible, but a recent study revised the number at 56 per cent. Another study indicated the new strain does not cause more illness, but that is not a breather in any way. The more it spreads, there will be more hospitalisation, burdening the health care systems. As is the case with other variants,