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IHU New Coronavirus Emerged in France, What do we know so far?

coronavirus IHU Variant

OMG! One more Again? IHU( I Hear You) Yes! New coronavirus IHU has emerged in France.

What is IHU?

During the worldwide Omicron outbreak, a new coronavirus variant known as ‘IHU’ has emerged in France.

According to the World Health Organization, a coronavirus strain discovered in France hasn’t posed much of a threat since it was discovered in November.

At a news conference in Geneva on Tuesday, Abdi Mahamud, a WHO incident manager on Covid, said the variant “had been on our radar.” “That virus had a lot of opportunities to spread.”

Around the same time that omicron was discovered in South Africa last year, the variant was identified in 12 persons in the southern Alps. The latter mutation has since spread over the world and caused unprecedented levels of transmission, in contrast to the French one, the IHU.

Why do they name IHU?

It was found in France which researchers at the IHU, (Infection University Hospital Institute, Mediterranee) — led by scientist Didier Raoult — nicknamed this coronavirus “IHU”.

How and From Where IHU spread?

The first patient discovered with the variant had been fully vaccinated and had returned from Cameroon, the country which is lying at the junction of western and central Africa. 

According to IHU researchers in a study published on the medRxiv server in late December, where they first raised awareness of the unusual mutations.

What IHU Doctors says?

IHU Professor Philippe Colson, the head of the department that identified the variant, revealed the strain’s features in a study released online last month but not yet published in a medical publication.

“We do have several cases of this novel variation in the Marseilles geographical area,” he stated.

“We nicknamed ‘variant IHU.'” “Two new genomes were recently submitted.”

The “index case,” according to the publication, was a fully vaccinated guy who returned from a trip to Cameroon in November three days before returning a positive result in France after experiencing “minor respiratory symptoms” the day before.

“This is when it becomes a “variant of concern,” such as Omicron, which is more infectious and resistant to past immunity.” “It remains to be seen which group this new variety will fall into,” the doctor added.

How dangerous is the IHU?

The new strain, known as “variant IHU” or B. 1.640.2, was discovered in the country last month but is now generating international headlines after piqued the interest of global scientists.

The B.1.640.2 variant was found at the IHU Mediterranee Infection Institute. It is thought to have 46 mutations, according to researchers. This has more mutations than the COVID-19 Omicron version.

French scientists discovered a fresh strain of coronavirus with more mutations than the Omicron version. 

According to the report, the emergence of the new variety, which most likely began in Cameroon, contains both changes N501Y and E484K in the spike protein. 

At least 12 cases of the new type have been discovered near Marseilles, and travel to the African country Cameroon has been related to it. And it is believed that many of those people were hospitalized as a result of the sickness.

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“These findings highlight the unpredictability of the formation of SARS-CoV-2 variants, as well as their transfer into a specific geographical area from elsewhere,” they added.

Variant IHU, which is thought to be associated with travel to the African country of Cameroon, has 46 mutations, which researchers fear may mean it is more resistant to existing vaccines.

On the plus side, the new strain does not appear to be spreading rapidly.

The B.1.640.2 strain has not been identified in other countries, nor has it been designated as a variety under investigation by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The genomes were retrieved using next-generation sequencing with Oxford Nanopore Technologies on GridION devices, according to a paper published on medRxiv.

“The spike protein contains fourteen amino acid changes, including N501Y and E484K, and nine deletions.” According to the research report, “this genotype pattern resulted in the creation of a new Pangolin lineage dubbed B.1.640.2, which is a phylogenetic sister group to the existing B.1.640 lineage renamed B.1.640.1.”

Epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding stated in a lengthy Twitter discussion that new variations are always developing, but this does not necessarily imply that they will be more hazardous. “What makes a variety more well-known and deadly is its ability to multiply in proportion to the original virus,” he explained.

Dr. Tom Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College London, was among the first to raise the alarm about the Omicron variety last year. On Twitter on Tuesday, he clarified that, despite the recent surge of interest in the IHU variant, it “really predates Omicron,” and that just 20 sequences had been discovered in the time since it was first discovered, whereas Omicron had about 120 in a shorter time.

What WHO (World Health Organization) Says about IHU?

Abdi Mahamud, a WHO incident manager on Covid, stated at a press conference in Geneva on Tuesday that the variant “had been on our radar.” “That virus had a lot of ways to spread.”

Because the variant has yet to be discovered in other countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) has yet to classify it as a variant under investigation.

Medias started writing about IHU coronavirus, and they have started writing like, “WHO official downplays IHU?” news published under the same title by timebloomberg and fortune.

nypost mentioned in their news about WHO’s silence regarding the IHU variant, “According to the WHO’s website, the new mutations have not yet been designated as a “variant of interest” or a “variant of concern.”

Let’s wait for WHO’s official announcement about IHU variant.

Covid-19's crackdown in France

It comes after French Health Minister Olivier Veran stated that the government expects to see an increase in the number of new COVID-19 infections daily.

Last week, France witnessed four consecutive days with new cases totaling more than 200,000.

Veran went on to say that the number could rise to 300,000 to 400,000 in the coming days.

“I said that maybe – maybe – this is the last wave, meaning that considering the number of infections in our country and around the world, it’s probable that we will have developed a form of immunity, either through vaccination or through getting infected, or both,” he said.

According to news from Journal Officiel , French supermarkets have been given the right to sell Covid tests up until January 31st. The government has called on everyone attending a New Year’s Eve gathering to get tested beforehand.

And the announcement comes as France announces a new effort to crack down on unvaccinated people.

Unvaccinated residents could be prevented from visiting restaurants, pubs, and other public places under a proposed new bill.

If passed, the bill will go into effect on January 15, replacing the present health pass system, which requires confirmation of full immunization or recovery from Covid-19 before an individual can enter public places.

It would empower personnel to conduct identity checks on clients if the validity of their immunization pass was in doubt, and venues that failed to check the authenticity of customers’ credentials may face harsh fines.

Those who use fraudulent passes face a five-year prison sentence and a €75,000 ($A117,000) fine.

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Omicron's threat ongoing in USA

On November 24, last year, the Omicron variation was discovered in a South African sample. It has since expanded to more than 100 nations.

According to data collated by NBC News, the United States reached 1 million new Covid-19 cases on Monday, highlighting the threat of the omicron strain as the third year of the epidemic begins.

In the recent two weeks, the most new cases have been reported in Washington, D.C. and Florida. According to an NBC News study of state and municipal health data, covid instances jumped by 902 percent in Washington over that time, while cases increased by 744 percent in Florida.

The record single-day total could be due to delayed reporting, as several states did not provide data on New Year’s Eve or throughout the holiday weekend.

According to predicted forecasts, the omicron version of the coronavirus currently accounts for up to 95 percent of U.S. test samples analyzed last week. However, the projection may differ from subsequent assessments.

The World Health Organization’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned last month that the omicron and delta variations were fueling an alarming trend.

Anyways, Have you and your family got vaccinated?

if Yes Good. If no, Please click here to check CDC’s Vaccination availability near you and get vaccinated today.

Let’s this New year may find you and your family in a Good Health.

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