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At least four new variants of the coronavirus are keeping scientists awake at night. One, first identified in southeast England, has now shown up in at least 50 countries and appears to be spreading more efficiently than older variations of the virus. Its appearance has frightened political leaders, who have closed borders and imposed travel restrictions in attempts to curb its spread. Others, identified in South Africa and Brazil, haven't traveled as far and wide but show a constellation of mutations that have grabbed the attention of geneticists. (Fox, 1/19)

By now, you have likely heard about different variants that first raised trouble in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, and now maybe California — though the jury is very much out on whether that last one is cause for concern. To make a messy alphabet soup even more jumbled, these variants have unwieldy names, and they each contain mutations with unwieldy names of their own. The result is that people are left trying to differentiate among B.1.1.7 and N501Y and E484K and C-3PO. Wait, sorry, that last one is from “Star Wars.” The point is that all of this is difficult to keep track of, and it will only grow more confusing with more variants likely to turn up. “It’s becoming a mutation-of-the-week game,” said Stephen Goldstein, a coronavirologist at the University of Utah. (Joseph, 1/19)

New research suggests viral genome sequencing of wastewater can be used to identify new COVID-19 variants before they're picked up via other screening methods. In Britain, scientists have been regularly sequencing the DNA of hundreds of COVID-19 samples on a weekly basis. ... Elsewhere in the world, genomic surveillance efforts remain limited. In the United States, for example, hospitals, county health departments and testing labs are already overwhelmed testing and treating patients, while also facilitating an unprecedented vaccination effort. (Hays, 1/19)

New variants of the coronavirus continue to emerge. But one in particular has caused concern in the United States because it’s so contagious and spreading fast. To avoid it, you’ll need to double down on the same pandemic precautions that have kept you safe so far. (Parker-Pope, 1/20)

There’s no evidence that CAL.20C is more lethal than other variants. And scientists have to conduct more research to determine whether CAL.20C is in fact more contagious than other forms of the virus. But Eric Vail, the director of molecular pathology at Cedars-Sinai, said it was possible that CAL.20C is playing a large part in the surge of cases that has overwhelmed Southern California’s hospitals. “I’m decently confident that this is a more infectious strain of the virus,” Dr. Vail said. (Zimmer, 1/19)

Seven cases of COVID-19 in Michigan are now associated with a Washtenaw County woman who traveled to the United Kingdom and brought back with her a new variation of the coronavirus known as B.1.1.7, or the U.K. variant. It's more transmissible — spreading about 50% more efficiently than other known mutations of the virus — and health officials fear this form of the virus could become the predominant strain in the U.S. in March, causing more infections, hospitalizations and deaths. Most of the seven people who've contracted the virus since having close contact with the Washtenaw County woman live in connected households, said Susan Ringler Cerniglia, a spokeswoman for the county health department. It still isn't known whether they, too, have the B.1.1.7 variant. (Jordan Shamus, 1/19)