US President-elect Joe Biden has described the spike in new coronavirus cases in the country as "alarming", demanding the current administration led by President Donald Trump to take urgent action. Biden, on Friday, was briefed on the COVID-19 outbreak by the co-chairs of the transition COVID-19 Advisory Board, Dr Vivek Murthy, Dr David Kessler, and Dr Marcella Nunez-Smith. "The facts they presented were alarming. Our country is experiencing surges in reported infections, hospitalisations, and fatalities all over the country with virtually nowhere getting spared," Biden said.

This week's news on progress towards a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is positive, but it will be many months before there is widespread vaccination in this country, he added. Pharmaceutical company Pfizer on Monday said their COVID-19 vaccine has a effectiveness ratio of 90 per cent. Biden said the pandemic demands a robust and immediate federal response, which he alleged has been woefully lacking. "I am the president-elect, but I will not be president until next year. The crisis does not respect dates on the calendar, it is accelerating right now. Urgent action is needed today, now, by the current administration -- starting with an acknowledgment of how serious the current situation is," he said.