France has discovered a new COVID-19 variant that appears to escape detection by standard tests on the virus.
The French Ministry of Health said Monday evening that a cluster of cases of the new variant had been discovered in a hospital in Lannion, in the Brittany region, France24 reported.
Several of the patients tested negative on tests in the PRC, health officials said.
Researchers at the Institut Pasteur are looking into whether the variant has genetic modifications that make it more difficult to detect, the outlet reported.
While potentially more difficult to trace, the variant does not appear to be more serious or transferable than others, officials said.
The French government has resisted pressure to order a new lockdown amid the latest coronavirus surge that has seen an average of more than 20,000 new cases per day, the outlet reported.
“The situation is not improving, there is an increasing number of infections and hospitals are heavily burdened with many patients, whose mean age is getting lower and who do not always have comorbidities,” said Prime Minister Jean Castex, France24 reported. .