23 Jan 2021 / 04:39 H. By Nancy Lapid Jan 22 (Reuters) - The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Virus variant found in California drives SoCal surge A new variant of the coronavirus appears to account for the recent surge of cases in southern California, researchers say. The variant, called CAL.20C, accounted for fewer than one in every 1,000 COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles county in July. It was not detected again until October, but by December accounted for 36% of cases, researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles reported on Wednesday on medRxiv ahead of peer review. The CAL.20C variant is distinct from those discovered in the UK, South Africa and Brazil. It carries five mutations: three in the spike protein, which the virus uses to break into cells, and two in other parts of the virus. CAL.20C has also been detected in northern California, New York and Washington, DC. Whether it is more easily transmissible or resistant to antibodies than earlier versions of the virus is not yet known. The researchers intend to "mine the data and see how patients do over time," coauthor Jasmine Plummer said. The proliferation of CAL.20C in November and December shows that "we allowed it to emerge during the holidays," she said. "These kind of numbers reinforce that we need to wear masks, socially isolate, and stay home." (https://bit.ly/2No1HcR)