https://apnews.com/116ef818ac4a8e7bc23bb28d6511ecad > LONDON (AP) — WHAT IS THIS NEW COVID-19 VARIANT IN SOUTH AFRICA? > South African scientists have identified a new version of the coronavirus this week that they say is behind a recent spike in COVID-19 infections in Gauteng, the country’s most populous province. It's unclear where the new variant actually arose, but it was first detected by scientists in South Africa and has also been seen in travelers to Hong Kong and Botswana.