French Covid variants are NOT worth worrying about, because they predate Omicron. It has also failed to grow. Scientists disagree.

  • This mutant strain contains 46 mutations that make it more immune to vaccination and infectious.
  • It is not yet in competition with the Omicron dominant variant.
  • To date, 12 cases were spotted that are connected to Cameroon travel. 










Experts say that it is unnecessary to worry about a French new Covid type.

The strain was discovered by virologists before Omicron, but it hasn’t caused any chaos. There are hopes that this may disappear into the background.

There have been at least 12 B.1.640.2 cases spotted near Marseille. The first was linked to Cameroon, an African country. 

But it is not outcompeting the dominant Omicron variant, which now makes up 60 per cent of all infections in France.

Dr Thomas Peacock is a London-based virologist and said that the variant had “a decent chance of causing trouble, but never actually materialised”. 

Some 12 cases have been spotted so far near Marseille, with the first linked to travel to the African country Cameroon

Twelve cases were spotted near Marseille. The first was linked to Cameroon, an African country.

France recorded an average of 2,477 cases per million people each day over the last week, compared to the UK figure of 2,548 per million, according to Our World in Data

Our World in Data reports that France saw an average 2,477 cases per person per day in the last week, while the UK recorded 2,548 for each million.

Some 12 cases have been spotted so far near Marseille, with the first linked to travel to the African country Cameroon. Pictured: Saint Jean Castle and Cathedral de la Major and the in Marseille, France

Twelve cases were spotted in the vicinity of Marseille. The first was linked to Cameroon, an African country. Photo: Saint Jean Castle, Cathedral de la Major, and the at Marseille in France

What’s B.1.640.2?

What is the number of cases?

Some 12 genomically-confirmed cases have been identified in France so far. 

Cameroon is the origin of the earliest known case.

Is it more vaccine resistant?

Because of its extensive list of mutations, it seems to be more adept at evading Covid immunity than other versions.

The E484K mutation was the first to be identified on the Beta version. It may make vaccines less effective. 

Are you concerned?

The variant does not seem to have any cause for concern.

Although there isn’t any evidence that this variant is competing with the Omicron one, it was discovered on December 10. 

This strain was uploaded first to the variant-tracking GISAID database on November 4th, more than 2 weeks after Omicron sequenced it. 

Over 120,000 Omicron cases were reported since the initial alarm was raised.

Only 12 instances of B.1.640.2 were reported. Data suggests that the real toll could be as high as 20, but it is possible. 

Dr Peacock stated that the virus had an opportunity to create trouble, but it never did so. 

He said that it was definitely not something to worry about at the moment.

This variant has not been officially identified in any other country or labeled as a variant currently under investigation by World Health Organization.

Professor Francis Balloux of University College London is a geneticist and said that the variant was not associated with an increase in hospitalizations or cases in France. He encouraged people to “relax.”

According to Our World in Data, the average number of cases per person in the country was 2,477 in the past week, as compared with the UK’s 2,548, which is 2,548,

Yesterday’s hospitalizations were 175 per million, as compared with 146 per million for the UK in December 27. 

Preprints posted by IHU Mediterranee Illness experts on medRxiv announced the discovery of this variant. The work of the researchers has yet to be published in an academic journal. 

Philippe Colson is one of the authors. He said, “We have many cases of this type in Marseille.” 

Scientists claim the lineage of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s B.1.640 is genetically distinct. It is believed to have originated in September in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Laboratory tests have shown that the strain is resistant to vaccinations with the E484K mutation.

It also has the N501Y mutation — first seen on the Alpha variant — that some experts believe can make it more transmissible.

The new Covid variant was detected by academics based at the IHU Mediterranee Infection on December 10

Researchers at IHU Mediterranee Infection detected the Covid new variant on December 10, 2010.

The mutant strain has 46 mutations that are thought to make it both more vaccine-resistant and infectious than the original virus (stock)

It is believed that the mutant strain contains 46 mutations which render it less vaccine-resistant than its stock counterpart.

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