New Novel coronavirus variant ‘IHU’ identified in France

January 4, 2022January 4, 2022 Pratyusha

Scientists have discovered a new strain of the COVID-19-causing virus in Southern France, while the globe grapples with the highly modified Omicron variety of SARS-CoV-2. The B.1.640.2 variation, often known as ‘IHU,’ has been documented in at least 12 cases by researchers at the institution IHU Mediterranee Infection, and has been related to travel to the African country of Cameroon.

However, the researchers cautioned that it is too soon to hypothesise on how this variation behaves in terms of infection and vaccination protection.

According to the study, the variation may be discovered using quick testing and polymerase chain reaction analysis. This is good news because genome sequencing takes time, making it difficult to assess the disease’s spread and severity.

SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus, which means it has the ability to change. Based on its features, it remains to be known which group variety IHU belongs to. If one or more of the following conditions are met, it will be classified as a variation of concern (VoC): It is more contagious, virulent, and resistant to vaccines, therapies, and diagnostics currently in use.

The World Health Organization has discovered five variations of concern after the first case was reported in China in late 2019. Alpha was discovered in September 2020 in the United Kingdom; Beta in May 2020 in South Africa; Gamma in November 2020 in Brazil; Delta in October 2020 in India; and, most recently, Omicron in November 2021 in numerous nations.

Lambda, discovered in Peru in December 2020, and Mu, discovered in Colombia in January 2021, are two further variations of interest.

So yet, the B.1.640.2 has not been detected in other nations, nor has the World Health Organization designated it as a variety under research (WHO).

The index (first) case, according to the researchers, was an adult who was identified positive by RTPCR on a nasopharyngeal sample obtained in mid-November last year.

In a lengthy Twitter discussion, epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding stated that new variations continue to emerge, but this does not always indicate they will be more hazardous.

On Tuesday, Feigl-Ding tweeted, “What makes a variation more well-known and deadly is its ability to reproduce due to the amount of mutations it has in respect to the original virus.”

2) The mutations have caused “Fourteen amino acid substitutions, and 9 amino acid deletions—which are located in the spike protein.” https://t.co/7HP8HmnaYi
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) January 3, 2022

“This is when it turns into a “variant of concern,” such as Omicron, which is more infectious and immune-evasive. It’s unclear which category this new variety will belong under “he stated

The Omicron form, which was initially detected in South Africa and Botswana in November last year, is causing a surge in COVID-19 cases in several nations.

Since then, the fear has spread to more than 100 nations.

So far, 1,892 instances of the Omicron form have been discovered in India, spread throughout 23 states and union territories.

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