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The medical world is on alert yet again after a new mutant Covid-19 variant emerged in France recently.
The new strain, dubbed “variant IHU” or B. 1.640.2, was first detected in the nation last month, but is now making international headlines after catching the attention of global experts.
At least 12 cases were confirmed near the Marseilles area, and it is understood that many of those patients were hospitalised with the illness.
Variant IHU, which is believed to be linked with travel to the African nation of Cameroon, has 46 mutations which experts fear could mean it is more resistant to existing vaccines.
However, on a more positive note, the new strain does not appear to be spreading rapidly.
The variant was discovered by researchers from the The Méditerranée Infection University Hospital Institute (IHU), but is not yet under investigation by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
There is also no concrete evidence it has spread past the French border, although there are unconfirmed claims it may have already entered the UK.
IHU Professor Philippe Colson, the head of the department that discovered the variant, posted details of the strain in a paper posted online last month, which is yet to be published in a medical journal.
COVID-19 has killed at least 5,441,446 people globally since the outbreak in December 2019 but WHO estimates the overall death toll could be two to three times higher.
