Screening for Covid-19 on December 23, 2020 in Marseille (illustration) -

LOUAI BARAKAT / SIPA

  • Six cases of the British variant to the coronavirus out of the eight suspected by the ARS have been identified in Marseille, in connection with the “extended family cluster”.

  • Two other patients will be tested again.

  • The people affected mainly come from one and the same family of expatriates in England, despite several tests carried out before and during their stay in France.

An “extended family cluster” of coronavirus linked to the British variant has been detected in recent days in Marseille.

After several days of silence, the regional health agency detailed with

20 Minutes

the characteristics of this epidemic focus, the extent of which we are beginning to measure.

How many cases related to the British variant are there?

Authorities reported a cluster of 21 people with Covid-19.

"For this, we have traced the contacts of all the people from December 24 to 31" indicates the ARS.

However, the structure specifies that “not everyone has been tested” because “not everyone has been in close contact with patient zero”.

The ARS thus reports eight patients potentially affected by the British variant, and confirms six of them this Monday evening, following a sequencing carried out at the Marseille University Hospital Institute, directed by Didier Raoult.

At a press conference on Sunday, Michèle Rubirola, for her part, reported eight confirmed cases.

“We have two suspected cases, explains the ARS to

20 Minutes

.

For these last two cases, the tests are not clear enough.

We will therefore do it again to make sure that it is the British variant.

"

Who are the sick?

As the ARS indicated this Saturday, patient zero suffering from the Covid-19 mutation of English origin is part of a family of five living in the United Kingdom and who came to Marseille for the end of year celebrations. year.

This patient, who is one of the children of the family, "began to feel symptoms on December 28, before a test on the 31", specifies the ARS.

This patient mainly infected members of his family: according to the ARS, the two parents of this outbreak, and at least two of the three children are found affected by the variant.

However, no details were given for the other cases of the British variant.

"But, for all these positive cases, Covid-19 or the British variant, they are people from family circles and friends," notes the ARS.

According to the

Latest News from Alsace

, contaminations have notably taken place between several friends who rented a house in Marseille the last week of the year.

Information that the ARS does not confirm at this stage.

Had the family residing in the UK been tested?

In addition to a test to be carried out before entering French soil, the members of this family had observed several gestures of caution.

They had thus respected a "self-containment of five days" and had been tested "in a city laboratory", indicates the ARS.

As revealed by the

Latest News from Alsace

, the ARS confirms that, during the Christmas dinner, the guests also carried out a test before the reunion.

Tests which had all been negative ...

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  • Marseilles

  • Covid 19

  • epidemic

  • English

  • Screening

  • Family

  • Cluster

  • Coronavirus