US may have a second wave of coronavirus later this year, predicts health official

A second wave of the novel coronavirus may hit the US later this year with even more difficult ramifications than the current COVID-19 crisis, a top American health official has warned.

The current coronavirus crisis has claimed more than 45,000 lives and infected over 824,000 people in the country.

Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield told The Washington Post that the US will have the flu epidemic and the coronavirus epidemic at the same time. If the first wave of the coronavirus outbreak and the flu season had peaked at the same time, it could have been "really, really difficult in terms of health capacity".

Luckily, the arrival of the novel coronavirus in the United States came as the regular flu season was waning, he said.

Meanwhile, the White House has emphasised on continuing with preventive measures to fight the coronavirus and increased testing.

Officials are hoping by the time the situation worsens, the administration would have additional treatment options for people with COVID-19 so that there will be additional treatment available in the fall.