- The IHU variant, which was first discovered in France has 46 mutations and 37 deletions.
- The WHO is yet to label the variant under investigation since it is not yet detected in other countries.
- When a double infection of the Covid-19 and influenza viruses affect a patient at the same time, s/he is said to be affected by Flurona.
B.1.640.2 or the IHU variant of coronavirus was discovered in southern France in December 2021. This variant is known to have more mutations than the Omicron variant. It has started capturing the attention of experts who are yet to find how dangerous it is or where did it originate from.
This variant has 46 mutations and was detected by researchers at the Marseille-based Mediterranee Infection University Hospital Institute (IHU). It is feared that the IHU variant could be more resistant to existing vaccines.
The person affected is a traveller who was returning from the African country Cameroon, and at least 12 people were found infected with the IHU in the Marseille area. Some of them have been hospitalized.
The traveller who had developed mild respiratory symptoms on the day before the diagnosis was diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 in an RT-PCR test. Later, respiratory samples were collected from seven other covid 19 positive patients from the area. These samples showed the same mutations.
According to a paper published online by the researchers on December 29, 2021, The IHU has 46 mutations and 37 deletions. This study is yet to be peer-reviewed. They said that the data that they’ve gathered is “another example of the unpredictability of the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants, and of their introduction in a given geographical area from abroad”.
The WHO is yet to label the variant under investigation since it is not yet detected in other countries.
Epidemiologist Eric Feigl- Ding said, “There are scores of new variants discovered all the time, but it does not necessarily mean they will be more dangerous. What makes a variant more well-known and dangerous is its ability to multiply because of the number of mutations it has in relation to the original virus.”
“I doubt it will win over Omicron [5-6x faster than Delta] or Delta [which is 2x faster than original],” he added.
Amid concerns over the Omicron variant of Covid-19, a new name ‘Flurona’ is causing worries. It isn’t a new variant, but when a double infection of the Covid-19 and influenza viruses affect a patient at the same time, s/he is said to be affected by Flurona. The first case was reported in an Israeli paper Yedioth Ahronoth.
Flurona had affected a woman who wasn’t vaccinated, had mild symptoms and had entered a medical centre last week to give birth. Flurona may cause pneumonia, myocarditis and other respiratory complications that may cause death if left unattended.
