A new variant that is undetected by PCR Test emerged in France

A new variant has emerged and this time it was detected in Brittany, France. What is different among the other variants of SARs-Cov-2 is that it is undetected by the gold standards of tests for COVID-19 the PCR test or the Polymerase Chain Reaction test.

How did they discover the new variant?

If it was undetected through PCR tests how did the health authorities came to know about the new variant? On Saturday, March 13, 2021, the health authorities in a hospital in Brittany France recorded 79 new COVID-19 cases. However, eight of the patients tested negative using the PCR tests despite the fact that they are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. The COVID-19 infection was later confirmed after conducting blood analysis and tissue from the respiratory system of the patients. All 8 patients were reported to have died.

Little is known about the new variant

According to health authorities in France, the new variant, which was nicknamed “le variant breton” named after Brittany where the variant was first discovered,  is not a cause for worry. Early research and clinical investigations did not indicate that this variant is more contagious or that it causes more severe disease compared with the other variants recently discovered, the B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and P.1 (UK, South African, and Brazil variants).

Tighter restrictions

The government of France has imposed tighter restrictions in order to curb the increasing number of infected individuals with COVID-19. France recorded 35,000 new cases last March 18. The restriction which was dubbed as a “lockdown” by the French Prime Minister will start at midnight on Friday. Tighter restrictions will be imposed mostly in affected areas in France like Paris and the Northern region.

Watch the Announcement of French Health Authorities here:

🇫🇷 French authorities are investigating a new #coronavirus #variant found in the western #Brittany region that is more difficult for tests to detect 🦠

Although for now it does not appear to be more dangerous or contagious pic.twitter.com/KFzdQhGQFc

— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) March 17, 2021