The sub-variant AY.4.2, scanned in the United Kingdom, is not yet high in France

In a note completed Friday, the National Reference Center for Public Health France and the Respiratory Infection Viruses look at AY.4.2, a subset of the Covit Delta variant. If it is gaining momentum in the United Kingdom, it is much lower in France.

For two years, we had to get used to following the Covit-19 in its many variants. We also need to keep an eye on its “sub variants”. So, the scientific community is now looking at the new version of the popular Delta, AY.4.2. An increase in the number of cases has been noted in the United Kingdom, which is “very closely monitored”, which is “rarely detected” in France since “August,” according to the National Reference Center for Respiratory Infections Viruses, according to Public Health France and last analysis, this Friday.

“The fact found during several consecutive studies (…) indicates low noise traffic in the community, especially in the Ile-de-France, but there is no signal in favor of significant spread. Status,” the analysis notes.

The risk to public health is often unknown. We know that AY.4.2 contains an additional double mutation of a protein called spike or “spicular” protein, which allows the virus to infiltrate the organism’s cells. According to French health officials, “such mutations in this area may have an impact on the escape of the immune response” – but nothing confirms that this is the case for AY.4.2.

96% of the detected sequences are from the United Kingdom

If it had probably appeared in the spring, this sub-variant would have spread at different rates in Europe, even if we have observed the acceleration of the rate since September. A group of 13,000 arrays associated with AY.4.2 in the international virological database GISAID shows its strength in the United Kingdom and its lowest prevalence in France.

96% of the AY.4.2 series detected in this package came from across the channel, 1.3% from Germany, but ranks second in Europe in the ranking of this strain extension. Poland was next with 0.6%, Ireland and Italy with 0.4% and Denmark with 0.3%. For a total of 12 rows, the French percentage rises only 0.1%.

While Elizabeth II’s subjects are subject to 96% proven AY.4.2 sequences, these are only 5.9% of cases of delta measured on the spot, according to preliminary results released Saturday by the British Health Care Agency. Moreover, the researchers note that it is not certain Current increase in event rate Delta’s AY.4.2 in the UK.

At this point the weakness of the expansion of AY.4.2 is still the basis of the mystery surrounding it. The number of ridiculous cases in France currently prevents further analysis. Although both companies recall that its detection has been declining in recent weeks in two European countries, Germany and Denmark, Public Health France and the CNR are calling for “firm adherence”.