A leading German virologist on Monday downplayed fears about the new mutation of the coronavirusspreading through the UK — and questioned Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s claim that the strain is 70 percent more infectious, according to reports.

“I wonder whether a scientist gave an estimate, perhaps asked what he would say if he had to give a figure, and then it takes on a life of its own,” Christian Drosten said, the Daily Mail reported.

“Then it enters politics and politicians use this figure and the media takes it up. Suddenly there’s a figure out there — 70 percent — and nobody even knows what it means,” he told Deutschlandfunk radio,