Breaking: France detects South African variant of Covid-19 in patients who returned from Mozambique

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Breaking: France detects South African variant of Covid-19 in patients who returned from Mozambique

11:22 CAT | 15 Jan 2021

File photo: Actu Nantes

At least one case of the Covid-19 South African variant has been detected in the Nantes region (Loire-Atlantique) in France, Minister of Health Olivier Véran said this Thursday evening, cited by Actu Nantes.

A variant of Covid-19 originating in South Africa, “was detected in the Nantes region in a patient who returned from Mozambique”, the minister announced at a press conference.

“The second variant, 500-1, originating in South Africa, is probably more contagious than the one circulating in France, but we have no reason to believe [at this stage] that it causes more serious forms [of illness]. Only a few cases of this variant have been detected in France,” he said.

Another woman in very serious condition in Île-de-France

According to Olivier Véran, a woman, hospitalised in intensive care in Île-de-France and in critical condition, stayed in Mozambique for ten days in December “as part of a trip of a religious congregation” .

“The variant has been identified in this [hospitalised in Ile-de-France] patient and contact tracing activated. Several positive cases in her close entourage, and in particular in her family, have already been identified. All have been isolated, and we are currently working to make the potential link with another cluster of this variant of South African origin, variant 500-1, also in the Nantes region, that of another person infected during this [same] trip to Mozambique,” Olivier Véran said.

In total, throughout France, four cases of contamination by the South African variant and 87 cases of contamination by the British variant have been confirmed by the National Reference Center (CNR) for respiratory infections.

“More contagious ”

“We are doing everything possible to detect [cases], and there are only a few at this stage,” Véran added. “This South African variant is probably more contagious than the virus which is so far circulating in France. We have less scientific data on the symptoms it can cause, but at this stage we have no reason to believe that it causes more severe [symptoms]. In any case, we must stop it.”

“We are doing everything we can to prevent dissemination, with reinforced border controls. We are also strengthening contact tracing in order to detect chains of contamination.”

General curfew at 6:00 p.m. from Saturday

A 6:00 p.m. curfew will be imposed in mainland France “for at least 15 days” from Saturday French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced on Thursday.

🔴 ALERTE INFO – #COVID19 : Un cas de la #variante sud-africaine a été dépisté chez une personne résidant dans le département du #ValdeMarne. Elle revenait d’un voyage au #Mozambique. Cette personne est actuellement hospitalisée. (Ministère de la Santé) #coronavirus

— FLASH INFO Ile-de-France (@info_Paris_IDF) January 15, 2021