COVID-19 is "mutating" and patients are dying quicker as the UK battles the second wave of the killer disease, new SAGE papers reveal.
The findings released today by the Government offer scientific insights into the pandemic which has killed 44,571 people in Britain.
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One of the most startling admissions is that the coronavirus is mutating and may become more infectious.
The New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) believe most of these changes will be harmless and none so far have changed Covid's severity.
However, researchers at NERVTAG, which works with the Government's advisory group SAGE, warns the mutations could increase Covid-19's "transmission" or ability to spread.
The scientists go on to explain that Britain is unable to properly assess the risks posed by the changes.
The paper says: "In the UK, researchers are currently monitoring whether mutations are occurring, but are not systematically checking whether these mutations 'matter'. This is an important gap in our knowledge.
"We currently lack the capability in the UK to rapidly and systematically assess the biological significance of detected genetic change."
The data shows that coronavirus patients in the UK are dying quicker than in the first phase of the pandemic.
By August 1, patients were dying an average of 13 days after symptoms started.
However, the average figure has now dropped to 7.5 days in men and six days in women.
The Covid-19 Clinical Information Network (CO-CIN) collected the data from 76,700 people across the UK.
One possible explanation is that only severely ill people are dying as doctors have gained a better understanding of how to treat the virus.
Medics have learned to lie ICU patients on their stomachs in a "proning" position without using invasive ventilation.
Steroids such as dexamethasone and hydrocortisone have also helped to treat severe cases.
As a result, less people are actually dying from the respiratory disease.
Last month, Oxford university researchers found the death rate had fallen from six per cent on June 24 to 1.5 per cent on August 5.
Across Europe, the virus is in resurgence with daily reported cases more than doubling in 10 days, crossing 200,000 daily infections for the first time yesterday.
Top epidemiologist Arnaud Fontanet, advises the French government, warned the second wave is proving more vicious than the first.
He told BFM TV: "The virus is circulating more quickly than in the spring.
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“And then there was one cold week in September and all the indicators went the wrong way again all over Europe.
“The virus spreads better in the cold because we live more inside.
"Hospitals and medical staff will find themselves in a situation they've already known.”
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