Coronavirus back in the spotlight again... France detects a new variant, will the world witness a new wave of the pandemic?

The world had barely recovered from the heavy losses caused by the coronavirus - COVID-19, when the French health authorities warned of an upcoming threat from a new variant detected on their soil known as NB.1.8.1.

The French newspaper "Le Monde" reported that a new variant of the coronavirus has been identified among the French in at least 12 confirmed cases, especially in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions. Despite remaining relatively low, virus-related indicators have shown a slight increase over the past three weeks.

According to the newspaper, a report from the "French Public Health" revealed a 25% increase in emergency room visits due to suspected COVID-19 among adults, especially in the age group of 15 to 74 years, equivalent to 41 additional cases in one week.

The French newspaper also quoted the director of the National Center for Respiratory Viruses in Lyon as saying, "We are likely facing the beginning of an epidemic wave, but it is difficult to estimate its size so far."
The World Health Organization classified the NB.1.8.1 variant as a "variant under monitoring," the lowest classification on the pandemic alert scale.

Regarding prevention and treatment, Chinese data indicate that the new variant has a greater ability to evade immunity, surpassing the protection provided by vaccines or previous infections.
The World Health Organization in Geneva warns that this variant is already prevalent in areas of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China, and may lead to a new wave of infections in Europe during the summer, especially with the decline in herd immunity due to reduced viral circulation in recent months. However, the institute notes that the variant: "does not appear to be more severe, but its transmissibility makes it likely to lead a new wave."

"Le Monde" concluded its report with warnings that COVID-19 has not disappeared, but is quietly reshaping itself.