French researchers have detected a new Covid-19 variant, probably of Cameroonian origin, and have temporarily named it ‘IHU’. The new variant from the lineage named B.1.640.2 is believed to have infected 12 people in the country, according to a yet-to-be peer-reviewed study supported by the French government. It has 46 mutations and 37 deletions. “For twelve SARS-CoV-positive patients living in the same geographical area of southeastern France, qPCR testing that screens for variant-associated mutations showed an atypical combination,” said Philippe Colson, from IHU Mediterranee Infection Foundation, Marseille, France. However, “it is too early to speculate on virological, epidemiological or clinical features of this IHU variant based on these 12 cases,” Colson said.

According to the study, the index case (the first patient) was an vaccinated adult who had returned to France from a trip to Cameroon, in central Africa. Three days after returning he developed mild respiratory symptoms. His nasopharyngeal sample collected mid-November 2021, “revealed an atypical combination that did not correspond to the pattern of the Delta variant involved in almost all SARS-CoV-2 infections at that time”, and later to Omicron as well, Colson said.