France: Situation 'concerning' as South African variant cases rise; ICU admissions surge

The more transmissible South African variant of the SARS-CoV-2 has been spreading at a faster rate, with COVID-19 cases rapidly rising in many parts of France, French Minister of Health Olivier Véran warned Tuesday at a news briefing. “We have seen a large increase this week in the proportion [of Covid-19 cases involving] the South African variant, which accounted for 6 percent of diagnosis and which now accounts for 10 percent, especially in the inner suburbs of Paris," Véran said. He added, that recently, the French capital’s neglected suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis was the hardest hit, which had attracted flak for keeping the schools open even when the rest of the country entered stringent lockdown to stem the more virulent COVID-19 wave. 

In an uplifting development, the French health minister told the reporters that thus far, France has registered no cases of the Indian variant in the mainland. But the new surge in the ICU admissions and hospitalization, caused by the South African 501Y.V2 variant, also known as 20H/501Y.V2, B.1.351 lineage in France has become a major “cause of worry”. Earlier last month, French health minister Veran travelled to the eastern department of Moselle to hold an emergency meeting with the regional leaders and health chiefs as France reported a high number of COVID-19 cases of the new variants, according to French media reports. Over the past few weeks, the variants of SARS-CoV-2 accounted for 25 percent of total cases in France, and nearly 30 percent across the Capital Paris. 

In a statement earlier this month, the office of French prime minister Jean Castex said that France was grounding its international air travel, adding that the restrictions were due to the "uncontrolled spread of the virus in certain countries" and "in particular of several variants raising fears of a risk of increased transmissibility or vaccine escape."

South Africa variant 'particularly worries' France 

On Monday, at least 6,000 COVID-19 patients who were infected with the South African more transmissible variant were rushed for Intensive care admission. As many as 400 succumbed to the infection despite stringent lockdown in place. At a weekly briefing, French Health Minister Veran said that the relentless spread of more infectious Covid-19 strains, especially the one detected in South Africa "particularly worries us.” Calling the situation ‘disturbing’, the French minister said, “We have to continue our efforts, particularly in the fight against the spread of the variants which, as we know, are more contagious.” As of Tuesday, France, in its mass vaccination drive successfully inoculated approximately 20 million population, with at least 27 percent adult and more vulnerable population who had received the first dose.