A newly identified strain of coronavirus predominant in Southern California could contribute to drastic tip in cases in the region, according to new research published Monday. The study, which was not evaluated by colleagues, found that more than a third of recent COVID-19 patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles were infected with the strain, according to a statement summarizing its findings.
The strain, known as CAL.20C, includes five types of recurrent mutations. The statement said it was not yet clear if it was more deadly than other forms of the virus.
CAL.20C was almost non-existent in October – but as of December, it accounted for 36% of virus samples from patients with Cedars-Sinai and 24% of all samples in Southern California, according to the statement. The strain was also detected in northern California, New York, Washington, DC and even in Oceania, the statement said.
“The double-digit prevalence of the CAL.20C strain in November and December was striking, given that it was first observed in July 2020 in only one of 1,230 virus samples in Los Angeles County and was no longer detected. from Southern California through October, “said Jasmine Plummer, a researcher at the Cedars-Sinai Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics and a corresponding author of the study.
CAL.20C is distinct from the rapidly spreading virus variant first identified in the United Kingdom, known as B.1.1.7. This strain, which is 50% more contagious than other forms of the virus, has been identified in at least 20 states, according to CBS News’ David Begnaud.
The CAL.20C announcement comes when Los Angeles County emerged as a global viral hotspot. One person dies from the virus every six minutes in the county and there is now such a remnant of bodies that air quality rules have been weakened to allow more incineration.
More than 1 million people in the county have been diagnosed with the virus and nearly 14,000 have died – more than any other county in the country, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.