Study finds 7 new 'worrying' coronavirus variants in the U.S.

A lab
(Image credit: Pedro Vilela/Getty Images)

America seems to be incubating a number of its own unique coronavirus variants, new research suggests. A study posted Sunday that hasn't yet been peer reviewed identified seven new "lineages" of the virus, The New York Times reports. While the lineages evolved independently of one another, they seem to display the same genetic mutation.

The change is seen in a gene that influences how the virus finds its way into a host's cell, suggesting it could make these variants more contagious — though this hasn't been confirmed. "I think there's a clear signature of an evolutionary benefit," said Jeremy Kamil, a virologist at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and a co-author of the new study.

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Still, the U.S. is making progress against the virus, at least for now. The country is administering 1.66 million vaccine doses a day, and the seven-day rolling average of new infections dropped below 100,000 Friday for the first time in three months, leading governors across the country to ease pandemic restrictions — like mask mandates and limits on gatherings. But health experts are nervous. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Georgetown University, told the Times that letting our guard down now would be "courting disaster."

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Jessica Hullinger

Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.