A variant of Covid-19, belonging to the Indian variants has been detected in the district of Krutenau in Strasbourg. A vast operation led by the ARS of screening and vaccination was set up this Saturday morning in the neighborhood to try to contain its spread. The person who tested positive was not returning from India.
The identified variant, which is now called the delta variant, carries the L452R mutation, which makes it very contagious, much more than the alpha variant (formerly English variant), itself more contagious than the historical initial strain. We remember that in two or three months, this alpha variant became the majority in Alsace and France because of this greater contagiousness. And that in the United Kingdom, the delta variant has also replaced the alpha variant fairly quickly.
Three lines of so-called “Indian” variants have also been identified as carrying the double mutation L452R and E484Q
It was at the beginning of March that India had a significant number of coronavirus contaminations, which involved different viral lines, including the alpha variant. All these lines had in common the same mutation, L452R on the S protein (Spike) which allows the virus to attach itself to the host human cell. This mutation resulted in greater transmissibility of the virus, with some epidemiologists estimating it to be 60% more contagious than that of the alpha variant.
Three lines of so-called “Indian” variants have also been identified as carrying the double mutation L452R and E484Q. This last mutation could allow the variant that carries it to partially escape the vaccine. It is for this reason that rather than looking for alpha, beta (formerly South African) gamma (formerly Brazilian) or delta variants, the ARS has now decided to search for mutations conferring more transmissibility or a risk of escape. partial to the vaccine.
The virus currently circulates the most in the 10-29 age group
The presence of the delta variant without the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg in a district very frequented by students, who could then return home all over France and disseminate it around them also pushed the ARS Grand Est to strongly accentuate the “Contact tracing” around the identified case. With the hope of containing this outbreak of fire as it was in Bordeaux recently.
More than ever, respect for barrier gestures remains crucial, as well as screening in case of doubt. Because if vaccination is progressing in the population, we are still very far from collective immunity. Remember that in Alsace, if more than 40% of the population has received at least one dose of vaccines, only 20% have received the two necessary doses. And as ARS Grand Est reminds us, the virus currently circulates the most in the 10-29 age group, and this is not immune to developing severe cases of the disease.
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