Alaska reports more cases of COVID-19 variants

ANCHORAGE (AP) - A highly transmissible coronavirus variant originally traced to Brazil has been discovered in Alaska, as have 10 cases of a strain first identified in California.

The first case of the California variant was identified in Alaska in January, and has since been discovered in nine more infected people. The report came Feb. 24 from a team of scientists assembled by the state to investigate new strains of the virus.

Researchers say the California variant is more contagious and potentially more effective at evading vaccines.

The Brazilian variant was identified in an Anchorage resid...