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Omicron, XD and Delta … update on the circulation of the main variants of Covid-19 in France

Is Omicron fever coming to an end? This variant was first identified in South Africa in early November, and has quickly spread to the rest of the planet.

More transmissible than any previous breeds, Delta crushes quickly. Fortunately, it is less ferocious. Nor did the fifth wave of the epidemic, massive in the number of cases, have a disastrous effect on the country’s hospital departments.

While the curve of the number of cases continues to decline in France, it is a sub-strain of Omicron, baptized ‘BA.2’, which is still very dominant. But other variants, at the moment very marginal, have appeared more recently. We are evaluating.

BA.2, Absolute Majority Omicron sub-alternative

Since the advent of Omicron, dozens of “sub-variables” (70, according to Public Health France) have been observed worldwide.

In France, BA.2 predominates and accounts for more than 99% of Omicron’s cases, which itself accounts for more than 99% of cases in France.

Two other sub-variables of Omicron . have been detected

Two new subspecies of Omicron appeared in FranceAccording to the “rapid survey” conducted by the National Health Agency in April.

As of April 21, 2022, “One confirmed case of BA.4 (returned from South Africa) and two confirmed cases of BA.5”, defines Public Health France. The report does not specify where he is located on the national territory.

These two Omicron subspecies are nothing to worry about health authorities: “At this point, it is not associated with any worrisome epidemiological or clinical component. (…) Nor is it associated with a worrisome epidemiological or clinical situation in South Africa where it is mainly prevalent”concludes Public Health France.

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A few hundred cases XD, including three in Baka

Initially, it was called “Deltacron” because it is a recombination of the Delta and Omicron variants. The World Health Organization formalized its name last month: it would be XD. This variant was born in France in the midst of winter, at the height of the epidemic: patients were then infected with both variants at the same time, while Omicron was in the process of substituting delta.

It has been followed since the beginning of 2002, it has been under enhanced monitoring in France since February 16 and is currently classified in the “Variants under evaluation” category. According to the latest figures from Public Health France, revealed last week, it is present in eight of the 13 metropolitan areas.

As of April 15, 77 cases of the XD variant have been investigated by the French public health services. Among them, 54 confirmed cases and 23 suspected cases are linked to a confirmed case and not serialized. Of these, three have been identified in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region.

A (very) marginal number indicating that this variable should not spread and replace sub-ratio BA.2.

Delta and Alpha Extinct?

Before the advent of Omicron, another alternative, less transmissible but more ferocious, was dominant in the country: Delta. And before him, the alpha variant was the majority.

Both seem to have disappeared from circulation today: crushed by Delta, Alpha has not been detected since November 2021.

It was replaced by Omicron, which is more contagious but less virulent, and Delta has not been detected in France since the beginning of February.

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The other “worrying variables” identified since the beginning of the epidemic, beta and gamma, have not appeared since last summer in France.

Classified in ‘variants to follow’ is the very marginal B.1.640, which IHU in Marseille claimed paternity to last December but was actually noticed a few months ago, and has not been detected at the same time since the beginning of the year.

Zoe Barker
Zoe Barker
"Writer. Analyst. Avid travel maven. Devoted twitter guru. Unapologetic pop culture expert. General zombie enthusiast."
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