In the spotlight: a first case of serious reinfection by the South African variant of the coronavirus in France

Audio 04:06

French Health Minister Olivier Veran arrives to speak to the press in the courtyard of the prefecture during a visit to Metz, eastern France, on February 12, 2021. © AFP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen

By: Norbert Navarro

8 min

Publicity

A first case of reinfection by the South African variant of the coronavirus in France ... more serious than the primary infection of the affected patient

Until now, it was the other way around.

This case of serious reinfection was described by French researchers.

And concern is starting to be felt in the press, because, as the

Figaro

website underlines

, “ 

cases of reinfection by variants, British, South African or Brazilian, have already been documented in the scientific literature, but most often, the second episode is less severe than the first

 ”.

But that was before ... In the Moselle department, in the far north-east of France, nearly three hundred cases of positive Covid-19 tests are linked to the South African and Brazilian variants

And on the spot, the schools " 

hold their breath

 ", points

Le Parisien

, while the Minister of Health Olivier Véran, who went to Moselle yesterday, did not rule out the possibility of school closings to cope to this incomprehensible presence of cases of variants.

As

Liberation

reminds us

, the Moselle had already " 

taken full force

 " the first and the second wave.

More than 1,700 deaths from Covid in its hospitals: a " 

sad record in the Grand-Est

 ".

It is now designated as “ 

the most affected

 ” by the arrival of variants, which are more contagious.

Visiting Metz yesterday, Olivier Véran said he was " 

ready to act if necessary

 " with additional restrictive measures, such as " 

the closure of schools or a curfew on weekends

 ".

At the Ministry of Education, we assured Le

Parisien

last night

that " 

if there is an" epidemic outbreak "and all classes must be closed," we will "

 ".

As this daily notes, this uncertainty " 

annoys teachers

 ", who find "

the ambient vagueness

" regrettable 

 and who want " 

to stop rambling the students

!"

 ".

In Italy, Mario Draghi is the providential man of a country once again in crisis

Scheduled for today, his swearing-in will have to gain confidence in Parliament next week.

Simple formalities, obviously, in a peninsula in disarray as in full recession, struck as it is by the coronavirus.

Precisely,

Liberation

welcomes the performance because Mario Draghi is succeeding in a new bet, "to 

unite around the same government the very antagonistic Italian political parties

 ".

On the front page of

Le Figaro

, the former governor of the European Central Bank, who has therefore agreed to form a government, is presented as the man who “ 

makes national unity

 ”.

And not just politically.

Even before the confirmation of his appointment, the new president of the Italian Council, “ 

expected as the messiah

(…) works

miracles

, states, in a cardinal formula, this conservative daily.

"

Super Mario", as he is nicknamed in the financial markets, has already brought down the cost of Italian debt to its lowest

point, in fact points out

Le Figaro

.

The prospect of a government led by Mario Draghi has driven the interest rates Italy borrows to their all-time low.

 "

Finally, in the "Olivier Duhamel affair", the adopted son of this political scientist accused of incest in Camille Kouchner's scandalous book, was heard yesterday by the police

Le

Parisien

announces this hearing, two hours during yesterday afternoon, by the police of the brigade for the protection of minors who heard this young man described as " 

fragile

 ".

According to this daily, he indicated “ 

that he had not been abused by his adoptive father.

His sister, also adopted in Chile

(by the couple Olivier Duhamel-Evelyne Pisier),

had already been heard by the police on February 8,

 ”adds

Le Parisien

, also indicating that the investigation will continue with new hearings.

And in particular that of Olivier Duhamel

 ".

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