A new COVID variant, with dozens of mutations, has caused a cluster of cases in southern France after being imported from central Africa, scientists have reported.
Doctors have found 12 patients in Forcalquier, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region, infected with the new variant, which has not yet been associated with serious illness, according to the report.
Genomic analysis found 46 mutations and 37 deletions, they have reported. It is thought to have come from Cameroon.
The variant has been named B.1.640.2 and IHU, for short, but has not yet received a Greek letter as its transmissibility remains uncertain. According to the French researchers, its last known common ancestor dates back to January last year.
According to the report, the first patient identified only had mild respiratory symptoms. The other 11 patients were then found by community surveillance.
The Marseilles-based researchers write: “It is too early to speculate on virological, epidemiological or clinical features of this IHU variant based on these 12 cases.”
They add: “These observations show once again the unpredictability of the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants and their introduction from abroad, and they exemplify the difficulty to control such introduction and subsequent spread.”
Emergence in Southern France of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant of probably Cameroonian origin harbouring both substitutions N501Y and E484K in the spike protein. Preprint. medRxiv 29 December 2021
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