Experts predict deadly coronavirus surge as Americans count down the 73 days before Joe Biden becomes US President

The 73 days until Joe Biden takes over could plunge the US into a disastrous winter, with COVID cases reaching new highs.

Another 100,000 Americans are expected to die from the coronavirus by the time Joe Biden takes office as US president with a deadly “winter surge” pushing case numbers higher.

There are still 73 days before Mr Biden takes over the presidency from Donald Trump on January 20 and experts are already predicting a horror situation.

Former US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said Mr Biden would be taking the helm at the “apex” of the pandemic.

“The reality is that by the time the president-elect takes office, we’ll probably be at the sort of apex, if you will, of what we’re going through right now,” Dr Gottlieb told CBS.

“We’ll be coming down the other side of the epidemic curve, hopefully. The only question is going to be how many people have died in the course of this and how many people have been infected, and we have to keep those numbers down as much as possible.”

Coronavirus cases in the United States are surging in many states with more than 700,000 new cases recorded in the past week, according to Johns Hopkins University. The country has recorded several days in the past week when cases exceeded 100,000.

There have been almost 10 million cases across the US and more than 237,000 people have died.

Modelling shows the death toll could reach 389,000 by February and could even be 100,000 higher if states wind back their virus measures.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington expects the “winter surge” to peak in mid-January when 2200 people could die each day.

Daily deaths are expected to reach 2000 in January even if states bring in more restrictions before the end of the year.

“We’re going to see these case numbers really start to explode,” Dr Gottlieb told CNBC on Friday.

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The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington predicts coronavirus deaths will reach 2000 a day by January. The red dotted line is the prediction if restrictions are eased, the grey dotted line is the prediction based on current measures and the green line is for universal mask use.

Infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci, who has been part of Mr Trump’s coronavirus task force, told The Washington Post: “We’re in for a whole lot of hurt”.

“It’s not a good situation. All the stars are aligned in the wrong place as you go into the fall and winter season, with people congregating at home indoors. You could not possibly be positioned more poorly.”

Dr Fauci has struggled to influence Mr Trump’s decision making on the coronavirus, with the President disregarding health advice on masks, mass gatherings and social distancing.

Mr Trump’s poor handling of the coronavirus appears to have turned his political fortunes around, helping to hand victory to Mr Biden.

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US President Donald Trump continued to hold mass rallies despite health advice. Picture: Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP

During his victory speech on Saturday (local time) Mr Biden announced he would name his own coronavirus taskforce, including leading scientists and experts, on Monday.

“That plan will be built on bedrock science,” he said. “It will be constructed out of compassion, empathy and concern. I will spare no effort, none. Or any commitments to turn around this pandemic.”

His team later revealed that former US surgeon general Vivek Murthy and former Food and Drug Administration commissioner David Kessler would be co-chairs of the 12-member working group.

“Our work begins with getting COVID under control,” Mr Biden said.

“We cannot repair the economy, restore our vitality, or relish life’s most precious moments, hugging our children, grandchildren, birthdays, weddings, graduations – all of the moments that matter most, close to us, until we get it under control.”

US President-elect Joe Biden took a very different tone to Mr Trump on the coronavirus, wearing a mask and not holding huge rallies. Picture: Drew Angerer/Getty Images/AFP