New COVID-19 variant discovered in California

An electronic sign urging Californians to stay at home.
(Image credit: Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced on Wednesday that a new variant of the coronavirus believed to be much more contagious has been found in California.

The variant, first identified in Britain, was discovered in Southern California, Newsom said, without naming a specific city. The first known U.S. case of COVID-19 caused by the variant was reported in Colorado on Tuesday.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.