The Covid-19 variant BA.2.86 was discovered for the first time in France, Santé Publique France told the AFP news agency on Thursday, confirming information from Le Parisien. This member of the Omicron family is under special observation due to a “larger number of mutations,” which is why it is “likely to evolve more and spread more easily,” the committee president reminded last week. Monitoring and anticipation of health risks (Covars) Brigitte Autran.
This case of the variant was discovered in the Grand Est, Santé Publique France said, stressing that it had launched “an investigation to collect epidemiological information that will allow the documentation of this first case”.
Variant under observation
The WHO has decided to classify this new variant, nicknamed “Pirola” on social networks, in the category of monitored variants due to the very large number (more than 30) mutations in the spike gene that it carries. It is the spike protein that gives the virus its spiky appearance and allows SARS-CoV-2 to enter the host’s cells.
Even if BA.2.86 caused a sharp increase in infections, “we do not expect a level of serious illness and death comparable to that seen at the beginning of the pandemic, when Alpha, Delta or Omicron spread,” François Balloux, the head of the Department of Bioinformatics at the University College London recently commented.
This variant has so far been detected in several countries, including the USA, Denmark and Israel, but not yet in France.
“At this point there is no particular health response,” explains the minister
Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau did not appear particularly concerned this Friday morning on franceinfo. For him, the emergence of this variant in France “does not require any particular health response,” he explained. “This variant has been spotted 25 times worldwide, including once in France, which means our surveillance and detection system is still in place and vigilant to protect us,” the minister stressed. The minister recalled the health protection regulations that must be observed, such as wearing a mask and increasing hand washing in the event of a virus.
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