Coronavirus WARNING: Deadly virus 'like 1918 Spanish flu pandemic' which killed 50 million

Coronavirus is rapidly spreading across the globe with over 89,000 worldwide cases, and over 3,000 deaths. On Monday, the number of confirmed cases in the UK raised to 40 – with parts of western Europe, including Spain, Italy and Germany, also seeing an increase in cases. The USA has also seen a rise in cases to over 88, with one expert warning the country will soon see a “massive surge” in confirmed victims.

Dr Dena Grayson, who played a role in the development of drugs to treat the deadly Ebola virus, warned the virus would see a “second wave” of cases, similar to that of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.

She said: “Expect a massive surge in Covid-19 cases for the next three weeks or so.

“If we’re lucky, the seasonal ebb-and-flow of coronavirus will lead to a reduction of cases over the summer.

“But I predict an even larger second wave next winter, unless a vaccine is available (unlikely).”

Dr Grayson added that “one silver lining” is that the deadly virus has hit the US towards “the end of flu/coronavirus season”.

But warned: “Expect cases to surge in the Southern Hemisphere (Apr-Sept), followed by a second, MUCH LARGER wave next Fall, similar to the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic”.

Dr Grayson claimed the “second wave” could potentially be more dangerous, as with the Spanish flu, saying: “That was where the vast majority of people got infected and died”.

The 1918 influenza pandemic, or Spanish flu, infected around 500 million people between 1918-1920, and had a death toll of an estimated 40 to 50 million.

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In a video shared on Twitter, Dr Grayson said Covid-19, the official name for coronavirus, is going “to go to every single state” in the US and will strike “very very soon”.

She said: “We should expect a lot more cases over the coming weeks.

“We’ve got a pretty rocky four to six weeks coming…it’s critical”.

Over 89,000 cases of the coronavirus have been recorded, with over 80,000 of the total cases in China, leading to the deaths of more than 2,900 people.

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South Korea is the biggest hit country outside China, with over 4,300 cases and over 25 deaths.

Italy has seen the most recorded cases in Europe – with over 1,800 cases and 52 deaths, while Iran is biggest hit country in the Middle East with over 1,500 cases and 66 deaths.

The US Government military laboratories are working to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Monday.

General Mark Milley said at a Pentagon briefing: “Our research labs, our military research labs, are working feverishly around the horn here to try to come up with a vaccine. So we’ll see how that develops over the next couple of months.”

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the spread of the coronavirus was “likely” to become “more significant” for the UK in the coming days.

He said: “We have also agreed a plan so that if and when it starts to spread, as I’m afraid it looks likely it will, we are in a position to take the steps necessary to contain the spread of the disease as far as we can, and to protect the most vulnerable.”

He said closing schools and banning mass gatherings would only be taken on scientific advice, adding: “The most important thing for people to understand is that (measures) will be guided by scientific advice.