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French health authorities report new 'Breton variant' of Covid virus

The Local France
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French health authorities report new 'Breton variant' of Covid virus
A researcher collects plasma with an electronic micropipette to analyze the results of the clinical study at Inotrem's laboratory in Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, eastern France, on February 08, 2021. - The hospital resuscitation service conduct clinical trials with nangibotide of Inotrem, initially developed to fight septic shock but which could have effects on the most severe Covid-19 (novel coronavirus) patients by reducing excess of TREM-1 molecules. (Photo by JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN / AFP)

The French health authority has reported a new variant of Covid detected in Brittany that does not appear to be detectable by the standard PCR test.

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French health body Direction générale de la santé has reported the new variant to the World Health Organisation after it was detected through a cluster of cases in Lannion in Brittany.

The patients in Lannion hospital all presented with classic Covid symptoms, but PCR tests proved negative. Genetic screening of the patients' samples revealed what appears to be a new variant of the virus.

"It was detected in the context of a cluster at the hospital in Lannion, in Côtes-d'Armor. On March 13th, 79 cases were identified, including 8 cases carrying the variant, confirmed by sequencing", said the DGS in a statement.

The DGS added that the variant did not appear to be more easily spread, or cause more severe symptoms than classic Covid, but "in-depth investigations are underway to better understand this variant and its impact". 

"One possibility is that the virus spreads more quickly between the upper respiratory tract and the lower portions," Alain Tertre, a regional director of the national Sante Publique France health agency, said at a press conference.

For the time being, it has been classified as a variant under surveillance by the World Health Organisation. They are monitored by the international community but are not considered to be of concern like the UK, South African and Brazilian variants were are more contagious and may produce more severe symptoms.

Brittany has been one of the areas of France reporting the lowest number of cases, but there are concerns that some cases of the new variant Breton might have been missed by standard testing.

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"As a precaution, local authorities and the regional health service are stepping up measures to curb the transmission of the virus, for example by speeding up vaccination, reminding people of the importance of barrier gestures or limiting gatherings," the DGS added its press release.

A detection system for this variant has been set up in the areas of Lannion, Guingamp, Saint-Brieuc and Morlaix and screening sessions are being organised.

Local authorities in the Côtes d'Armor département have toughened up mask rules making masks in outdoor public spaces compulsory across the département (as opposed to just in some towns) and have cancelled brocantes and vide-greniers (vintage markets and yard sales).

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Anonymous 2021/03/17 11:31
Perhaps using the army logistics experts to organise mass vaccinations in closed down gyms/ sports halls etc as they have done in the U.K. instead of sending vaccines to pharmacies who have no booking facilities to say nothing of adequate space ( including car parking spaces) to deal with huge numbers....
Anonymous 2021/03/16 18:27
How exiting! Instead of concentrating on test results they should get their vaccine act together. Let those scientist figure out a way how to efficiently vaccinate as many as possible as quickly as possible. Use McD drive throughs? Stop prioritising, just whoever turns up with their health card. Get those super spreaders who are leading active lives, 25, 35, 45 any age, swipe through hotspots with those vaccines.

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