A NEWLY identified strain of the coronavirus prevalent in Southern California, the United States could be contributing to the drastic spike in cases in the region, according to new research released Monday. The study, which has not been peer-reviewed, found that more than a third of recent COVID-19 patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles were infected with the strain, according to a release summarizing its findings. The strain, known as CAL.20C, includes five types of recurring mutations. The release said it’s not yet clear if it’s deadlier than other forms of the virus. CAL.20C was nearly nonexistent in October — but by December, it accounted for 36 percent of virus samples from Cedars-Sinai patients and 24 percent of all samples from Southern California, according to the release. The strain has also been detected in Northern California, New York, Washington, D.C., and even Oceania, the release said. The announcement of CAL.20C comes as Los Angeles County has emerged as a global viral hotspot. (SD-Agencies) | 