Researchers are sounding the alarm about a COVID-19 variant found in California, warning that emerging evidence shows it could possibly be deadlier, more transmissible and more resistant to vaccines.

The strain, known as B.1.427/B.1.429 or CAL.20C, was discovered by two separate research teams earlier this year. While the studies are still in the early stages and are yet to be published, scientists looking into the variant say it cant be ignored.

The devil is already here, Dr. Charles Chiu, an infectious diseases researcher and physician at the University of California, San Francisco, whos leading an analysis of the new variant, told the Los Angeles Times this week. I wish it were different. But the science is the science. His research suggests this strain of the virus has been circulating in California since May 2020.

Chius research is expected be made public later this week on MedRxiv, a website serving as a platform to share research before its formally published. A separate analysis of the strain by researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles was shared there late last month.

Heres what we know so far about the California strain.

Whats different about this variant?

The California strain has multiple mutations , including some on its spike protein, which is the part of the virus that binds to cells so that it can infect them. One of those mutations appears to stabilize the interaction between the spike protein and receptor it uses to bind to human cells, which would make it better at infecting people.

In total, there are four mutations to this strain that have not been seen in the three other concerning variants first found in the United Kingdom , South Africa and Brazil , UCSF found. Another, different variant was also discovered in New York City recently .