Researchers discovered a new homegrown coronavirus strain spreading in California. The new COVID-19 strain is allegedly responsible for the new surge in the country!
ATLANTA, GA - UNDATED: This undated handout photo from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a microscopic view of the Coronavirus at the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia. According to the CDC the virus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) might be a "previously unrecognized virus from the Coronavirus family."
Californian health officials are now investigating the new strain, which they say could be partly to blame for the state's new surge in infection. According to The Daily Mail UK's latest report, scientists and other medical experts said that they discovered the new coronavirus strain after they were looking for signs of the highly contagious variant that originated in the United Kingdom.
They said that the new B.1.426 could be the strain that caused the rapid rise in infections during the holiday season in California, where more than 1.3 million cases have been reported.
How deadly is the new COVID-19 strain?
Health authorities in California confirmed that 36,790 people already died because of COVID-19.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 10: The streets of Manhattan stand nearly empty due to the coronavirus epidemic on April 10, 2020 in New York City. According to John Hopkins University, the global death toll from COVID-19 has now reached 100,000 worldwide with many experts believing that the number is actually higher.
"While the B.1.1.7 strain may play an important role in increased COVID rates in the UK and Europe, there are still no reports to account for the current spike of cases in Los Angeles and California as a whole that began in early November 2020," said the researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, via The Daily Mail UK.
They added that they found the new novel strain CAL.20C, which is currently increasing in numbers in Southern California.
Meanwhile, a separate study said that 25% of viral samples discovered on Norther California were the same same type.
How to protect yourself
The discovery of the new strains in different countries is really alarming. This means that the global pandemic is getting worse as time goes by. Experts are finding ways on how to prevent the further spread of the new COVID-19 strains.
HealthLine previously provided different methods on how people can avoid the new strains of coronavirus. The first thing you need to do is follow ABCs of prevention. If you don't have any idea about it, here's what it is and what you need to do;
- Airway: Protect yourself with barrier protection.
- Bubble: Gather with people who you trust virologically and emotionally.
- Contacts: If someone in your bubble ends up contracting the virus, it's easy to contact trace. Tetro suggests using a contact tracing app.
Another safety habit is to avoid going out with a large number of people. Remember, COVID-19 can quickly spread in crowded areas. If you want to know more details, just click here.
For more news updates about COVID-19 and the new strains of coronavirus, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
Related Article: UK Variant of Coronavirus May be More Deadly than Previous Strains
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Written by: Giuliano de Leon.
