Double mutant variant from India detected in France

By Shweta Desai

PARIS (AA) - France has detected five cases of the double mutant variant of the coronavirus which is responsible for the deadly second wave of COVID-19 in India, the Health Ministry said Friday.

All the cases of the highly contagious B.1.617 strain are unrelated to each other.

Two cases each were identified in Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Bouches-du-Rhone (Marseille) regions in southern France among returnees from India this month. Another case was recorded in Gironde.

The infected people are isolated and only one contact case has tested positive, according to an official statement.

More suspected cases of the same variant have been reported across France in people who returned from India in recent days. Health authorities have said they are in the process of confirming the sequencing of samples.

Meanwhile, France will expand its vaccination program to include those above 18 years with comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, kidney failure, heart failure, cancer and obesity starting Saturday.

For all others above 50 years, the vaccination will open from May 15 and to people above 18 years from June 15, President Emmanuel Macron announced in a tweet.

Over 14.9 million people in France have received at least one dose of the vaccine.