Virus variant from South Africa detected in US for 1st time:
The variant first found in South Africa was detected in October. Since then, it has been found in at least 30 other countries.
It is not obvious that the mutation found in October is responsible for the outsized increases in cases and deaths recently observed in South Africa. Both rose in tandem not until the beginning of December, and the mutation could have been present earlier. Seasonal factors may be at work. July is South Africa's winter, January its summer. Elevation moderates summer high temperatures and latitude its winter lows.
