First case of new coronavirus variant found in France as cases rise
A medical worker administers a nasal swab to a patient at a coronavirus disease testing centre in Le Bignon, France. File/Reuters
Gulf Today Report
France has confirmed on Friday the first case of a new coronavirus variant that recently emerged in Britain, as the number of cases and deaths from COVID-19 mounted in the country.
The first French case — found in a citizen living in Britain who arrived from London on December 19 — has increased concerns of a new wave of the virus hitting the euro zone’s second-biggest economy.
Health authorities have carried out contact-tracing for the health professionals taking care of the patient, the ministry said in a statement.
Any of their contacts that were seen as vulnerable would similarly be isolated, it said.
The ministry said the case — the first in France — had been found in the city of Tours. The man in question arrived from London on Dec.19. He was currently self-isolating and felt alright, the ministry added.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock had said on Dec.14 that a spike in COVID cases in the United Kingdom might have been linked to the new variant of the virus in the country.
Hancock said more than 1,000 cases of the new variant had been identified, mainly in southeastern England.
READ MORE
UAE reports 1,230 new cases of coronavirus, 6 deaths
US will impose COVID-19 screening requirement for UK flights: CDC
Countries around the world have in recent days closed their borders to both Britain and South Africa following the identification of cases of the new, fast-spreading variant of the coronavirus in those countries.
France registered 20,262 new, confirmed COVID-19 cases and 159 more related deaths in hospitals in the last 24 hours.
France’s number of confirmed COVID-19 cases now stands at 2,547,771 while its COVID-19 death toll stands at 62,427 - the seventh-highest in the world.
