For the time being officially, the Indian variant still seems to spare France but at least 17 countries have experienced infections with the so-called Indian variant of the coronavirus, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The B.1.617 variant, more commonly known as the Indian variant because of its first occurrence in India where the country is still overwhelmed by an epidemic outbreak has been detected in more than 1,200 genome sequences.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most of the samples "come from India, the United Kingdom, the United States and Singapore," the WHO said in its weekly report on the pandemic.
In recent days, the variant has also been reported in several European countries (Belgium, Switzerland, Greece, Italy).
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"B.1.617 has a higher growth rate than the other variants circulating in India, which suggests greater contagiousness", also assures the WHO, even if it left it in the category of "d variants. 'interest' and not 'variants of concern.
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Suspended flights
India, the fourth most bereaved country (behind the United States, Brazil and Mexico), is now close to 200,000 dead.
She again experienced an impressive new total of infections (350,000) for one day on Tuesday.
The first shipment of British medical aid, including 100 ventilators and 95 oxygen concentrators, landed in Delhi on Tuesday.
France, Canada, the United States and even Germany have announced that they will also provide aid to India.
In the face of this variant, many countries have taken action, although the WHO believes that it is not yet known whether “the reports of high mortality are due to the increased severity of the variant, to the The capacity of the health system is strained due to the rapid increase in the number of cases, or both.
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Meanwhile, Australia decided on Tuesday to suspend flights from India until May 15, while Canada, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and New Zealand have already suspended or restricted their flights.
Belgium has announced the closure of its borders to India but also to Brazil and South Africa, where two other variants are rife.
Iceland for its part has banned entry to travelers from sixteen countries considered to be "high risk" areas, such as France.
Obviously, the presence of the Indian variant worries in Europe at a time when the Old Continent is breathing a little better after long months of restrictions.
This Wednesday, the Netherlands decided to lift its curfew and authorize the reopening of the terraces.