In March, health officials said that 13 people had been infected and more than 200 were suspected of being infected after a mutant virus was found in western France that was difficult to detect by routine PCR tests. I made it clear.
So far, it has not been confirmed that it has spread to other areas, so we are continuing a detailed investigation.
The mutant virus was found in eight patients in March at a hospital in Brittany, western France.
The results of routine PCR tests were negative except for one, and more detailed blood and respiratory tests confirmed the infection, so French health officials said it was difficult to detect with regular tests. I will.
Health officials said in a press conference yesterday that 13 people have been infected with the mutant virus and 219 are suspected of being infected.
All of them are patients in hospitals where the infection was first confirmed, and no spread to other areas has been found.
In addition, it is under investigation whether it is more infectious than conventional viruses and whether it is more likely to become severe.
In France, the first mutant virus identified in the United Kingdom has spread to nearly 80% of new infections, and the government has decided to conduct a nationwide survey of this mutant virus as well.