AUSTIN, Texas — There's growing evidence that a mutated strain of the novel coronavirus is more contagious than the original. The new strain is the main one circulating in Texas and the rest of the country.

A virus expert says it's actually been around since the early days of the coronavirus leaving China and is what we've known in the U.S. But it's getting more attention because new medical research was recently published showing why the mutation makes the virus more contagious.

"The mutations are being tested all the time and when a mutation creates a beneficial outcome for a virus, that mutant will take over a population of viruses and expand as we're seeing with this one here," said Joseph Petrosino, chair of the Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology at the Baylor School of Medicine in Houston.

Petrosino says there's no data right now that shows this strain affects people differently or is more deadly than the original. He also says the same practices officials have been preaching, like wearing a mask, washing your hands and social distancing, will stop the spread of this particular mutant virus as much as the original.

Petrosino also says there are growing early reports that immunity to this novel coronavirus isn't sustained for very long periods of time.

“Some data coming out now that antibodies to the virus are not long-lived,” he said. “If that's the case, it would suggest that boosts, or booster shots of vaccine after the initial may be needed.”

Click the video link above to watch the full interview with Petrosino.