Again! A new COVI-19 strain has been identified in the French soil, according to our information. The NB.1.8.1 variant was observed four times in France, as confirmed in BFMTV the National Reference Center of Lyon, a laboratory in charge of monitoring emerging variants.
“There are several countries that have reported it. We found it a bit in France, not many, four sequences (infected, note of the editor) that were found, both in the hospital and in the city,” said Virologist Bruno Lina.
This virus sub -boarding, never identified in France before March, ravages in China. Experts closely monitor this strain after the outbreak of cases, especially in Hong Kong, where the authorities relate the highest rate of circulation of the virus for at least a year.
According to CBS, in other Asian countries, especially in Taiwan, the reinforced epidemic led to an increase in emergency passes, as well as a series of deaths related to the increase in epidemic.
(Rare) cases in Germany, Spain or Sweden
The virus has also been observed in other parts of Europe since April, as explained in BFMTV, the ECDC, the European reference health agency, “some sequences of NB.1.8.1 were presented by the EU member states.” This is the case of Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.
“It should be noted that the number of SARS-COV-2 sequences is currently quite low. The variant is not yet classified as a variant under surveillance by ECDC,” maternal health authority, which expresses a “low level of circulation in the EU during 2025”.
The fact is that this “complex” virus is a source of concern. According to Chinese data, the latter presents a “immune escape” capacity. Clearly: You can escape our defenses acquired during infection or a vaccine.
“The Chinese seem to say that this variant would have a growth advantage (…) enters the cells faster and reproduces. Its specificities are probably prefigured that this varies from the virus becomes the majority in the future,” he says that the virologist, who points out that the variant “appears a bit everywhere.”
In France, the global context is that of a notable circulation of the COVVI-19 virus. According to data from the World Health Organization, 19% of the tests for this virus proved to be positive for last week. The data to qualify as the number of these tests has decreased, health insurance no longer takes care of them, except vulnerable people.
Source: BFM TV
