The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is clearly not finished evolving. While the Delta variant is now the majority on the national territory (since almost 100% of the contaminations), a “Delta sub-variant” begins to appear in the United Kingdom.
Baptized AY4.2, this new coronavirus sub-variant is therefore a slightly modified “copy” of the Delta variant – with in particular two major mutations, A222V and Y145H on the Spike protein – the part of the virus that attaches to human cells.
The AY4.2 has been classified “variant under investigation“in the United Kingdom where it already represents 6% of new cases of infection with the coronavirus.
The World Health Organization made this Wednesday, October 27 a weekly update on the Covid-19 health crisis. The opportunity to alert on a new Delta variant, the line AY.4.2. The latter is increasingly present in Covid-19 contaminations, which are on the rise in Europe. “An increase in transmission of the AY.4.2 sequence has been observed since July“, said the WHO.
Is the Delta sub-variant present in France?
The evolution of the AY.4.2 sublineage of the Delta variant, the frequency of which among all the sequenced samples has been multiplied by 10 in about ten weeks in the United Kingdom, is the subject of reinforced monitoring at the level international and in France. “Experimental and epidemiological analyzes are underway to characterize the risk associated with this variant by the English authorities (increased transmissibility of AY.4.2 compared to other sub-lineages of Delta), indicates this Friday Public Health France. At this stage there is no evidence that the increase in the incidence of confirmed cases of COVID-19 currently observed in England is solely due to the spread of the AY.4.2 variant. ”
In France, the AY.4.2 sub-lineage was detected very weakly in France. Indeed, the EMERGEN database made it possible to identify 19 sequences with this characteristic profile of AY.4.2, i.e. AY.4 variants carrying the Y145H and A222V mutations, all with a collection date between weeks 35 and 39 indicates Public Health France, which specifies that the majority come from Ile-de-France .
Is AY4.2 more contagious? Can he resist vaccines?
Before the Senate, this October 26, the Minister of Health Olivier Véran had mentioned his concern about this new variant. “We still know little about this variant. It looks like the Delta variant, but the first English studies attest to a contagiousness greater than the Delta variant of the order of 10 to 15%. It already represents 6% of positive cases diagnosed in England and it spreads quickly and could therefore cause a little more viral circulation than the Delta variant. If it is circulating in England, it is because it is already circulating elsewhere in Europe. We have every reason to remain extremely vigilant “.
Is the AY4.2 sub-variant more contagious than the initial Delta variant? “Epidemiological and laboratory studies are in progress” to establish whether AY.4.2 is more contagious or weakens antibodies, according to the WHO.
For the time being, it is not known whether the AY4.2 sub-variant could also be (partially) resistant to vaccines against Covid-19.
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