New variant 'IHU' identified in France, may have 46 mutations

Amid the world witnessing uptick in COVID-19 cases owing to the Omicron variant, scientists in France have found another variant. The strain was discovered by researchers based at the IHU Mediterranee Infection. Scientists have temporarily named the new variant as ‘IHU’.

Reportedly, the new variant is believed to have infected 12 people in the country. According to the study, ‘IHU’ has 46 mutations and 37 deletions. The 'IHU' variant has showed strain carrying the N501Y mutation present in the Alpha variant.

What we know so far of this new COVID-19 variant?

• IHU was announced in a paper posted on medRxiv

• It contains 46 mutations — even more than Omicron

• 12 cases have been spotted so far

• IHU variant will be more resistant to vaccines

The new variant, however, has not been identified in other countries so far. Reportedly, the variant is under investigation by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Meanwhile, India reported 90,928 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, 55 per cent higher than yesterday's 58,097 cases. The country, on January, recorded the first death linked to the Omicron variant of Covid-19.