IHU Covid-19 New Variant – More Infectious than Omicron

IHU Covid-19 New Variant – More Infectious than Omicron

It was just recently that the new variant of covid-19, Omicron, was recognized first in South Africa multiply promptly around the globe, one more new Covid-19 variation is being reported from France which is believed to be increasingly more contagious than Omicron. Scientists have called the brand-new variation “IHU”. It was first detected on 10th December 2021 and only now it has been peer-reviewed.

Why the name “IHU”

B. 1.640.2 or IHU, stands for Infection University Hospital, which is a new Covid-19 variant discovered in France by scientists at the Institute IHU Mederranee Infection. The reports state scientists have declared that a new variation with more than 46 mutations than Omicron, has been discovered. Record, that Omicrom itself had spread uncontrollably around the world, and we don’t have currently means to stop its course. The study of IHU released in a paper mentioned: “Fourteen amino acid alternatives, consisting of N501Y and E484K, and also 9 deletions are located in the spike protein. This genotype pattern led to creating a new Pangolin lineage called B. 1.640.2, which is a phylogenetic sister group to the old B. 1.640 lineage renamed B. 1.640.1“.

Where Was “IHU” Detected

The IHU Variant was first found in France. By the time of writing this article, 12 individuals in France have been examined and found positive for the variant. The cases have all been found near Marseilles.

“IHU” Alarming Bells

Considering that the French researchers made the discovery, the brand-new “IHU” Variant, it has been a cause for concern among epidemiologists. One of the first to respond to the new advancement was the US-based researcher Eric Feigl-Ding that shared the information on Twitter.

Feigl-Ding however pointed out that there is a possibility that the variation can be identified by making use of a shortcut technique of “PCR analysis of signals different from Delta as well as Omicron“. This might be beneficial as it may help determine the variant quicker without the demand for genome sequencing just like Omicron.

How Lethal is the New Variant Compared to Previous Ones

In a tweet, Feigl-Ding explained that the new variant of Covid-19 is not necessarily more dangerous than previous variants of the pandemic.

The researchers wrote, “These data are one example of the unpredictability of the development of SARS-CoV-2 variants, as well as of their introduction in a given geographical location from abroad.” It was so unpredictable that The Globe Health Organisation has not discussed the brand-new development yet, implying that the brand-new variant has not been determined and called by the international health body.

First published on Outlook

Reference:Philippe Colson, Jérémy Delerce, Emilie Burel, Jordan Dahan, Agnès Jouffret, Florence Fenollar, Nouara Yahi, Jacques Fantini, Bernard La Scola, Didier Raoult, “Emergence in Southern France of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant of probably Cameroonian origin harbouring both substitutions N501Y and E484K in the spike protein”. DOI:10.1101/2021.12.24.21268174