Federal health officials sounded the alarm on Friday (Saturday AEDT) about a fast-spreading, far more contagious variant of the coronavirus that is projected to become the dominant source of infection in the country by March, potentially fuelling another wrenching surge of cases and deaths.

In a study released on Friday, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said that its forecasts indicated outbreaks caused by the new variant could lead to a burgeoning pandemic this winter. It called for a doubling down on preventive measures, including more intensive vaccination efforts across the country.