The phrase "a devastating spread of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe the rapid and harmful increase of something, often in a negative context such as disease, misinformation, or environmental issues.
Example: "The scientists warned about a devastating spread of the virus that could overwhelm healthcare systems."
Alternatives: "a catastrophic proliferation of" or "a harmful expansion of".
"The resulting social instability, risk to critical infrastructure, potential water crises and the potential for the devastating spread of diseases are a reality," says Gituru.
The devastating spread of AIDS among women has left 13 million orphans.
"The devastating spread of the disease has slowed and the epidemic has started to turn.
There was some confidence that the quicker measures would help stave off the devastating spread of the disease that happened in 2001, when more than four million animals were slaughtered and many farmers were put out of business.
However, after 1346 the Kingdom began to decline, caused by George's death and the devastating spread of the plague throughout the area soon afterwards.
By Micael Johnstone DAKAR/NEW YORK, 3 September 2004 – A 12-country emergency meeting in Dakar, Senegal has decided to use national armed forces to help combat the devastating spread of desert locusts in West Africa.
The effects of these under-investments on children are magnified by the overall decline in ODA flows, the crushing burden of external debt, gender-based violence and discrimination, environmental degradation, natural disasters - and the devastating spread of armed conflict and HIV/AIDS.
They are seed-sterile crops propagated clonally and this makes them vulnerable to a rapid spread of devastating diseases and at the same time hampers breeding improved cultivars.
The decision of Downing Street to abandon its deliberate policy of diplomatic silence and pollyanna optimism and to speak out bluntly reminding Germany once more that a cultivated little war of short duration might quickly spread into a devastating general war of long duration, was agreed upon after a two-hour conference at the Foreign Office.
