Olivier Véran, February 4, 2021. -
Martin BUREAU / AFP
In France, the epidemic situation is "fragile, uncertain but under control," Health Minister Olivier Véran said on Thursday at a press conference.
But the virus, and especially its variants, develop unevenly in the territories.
The Moselle is of particular concern.
Nearly 300 cases of South African and Brazilian variants have been diagnosed in Moselle, Olivier Véran warned on Thursday, in people who have not traveled.
The general incidence is also higher there than in the rest of the Grand-Est region.
"We have no explanation" for the deterioration of the situation, continued the minister, affirming that studies are underway.
Fears about vaccination
Nationwide, 4 to 5% of South African and Brazilian variants have been measured.
"Out of 17,000 positive tests, the proportion of viruses which evoke mutations which correspond to the South African and Brazilian variants has increased", declared Olivier Véran.
“Their distribution is very uneven in France.
"This diffusion, which can be controlled in France according to the minister, is worrying because these variants could cause reinfection of the virus," thanks to the capacity of the virus to escape the antibodies developed by a patient contaminated by a classic virus ".
In addition, they would be less sensitive to certain available vaccines.
The British variant, for its part, "is responsible for one in 5 to one in 4 infections in France".
It now represents 20 to 25% of infections in France.
“Every week we earn on this variant is a week of breathing for the country.
We hope to gain enough time to avoid confinement, ”added Olivier Véran.
"We must now act to curb the spread of variants, prevent them from gaining ground too quickly," said the Director General of Health, Jérôme Salomon earlier.
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