BFMTV INFO. Covid-19: A worrying new variant identified for the first time in France

Again! A new strain of Covid-19 has been identified on French soil, according to our information. The NB.1.8.1 variant has been observed four times in France, as confirmed to BFMTV by the National Reference Center in Lyon, the laboratory responsible for monitoring emerging variants.

"A number of countries have reported it. We found a few in France, but not many. Four sequences (i.e., infected people, editor's note) were found, both in hospitals and in the community," explains virologist Bruno Lina.

This sublineage of the virus, never identified in France before March, is wreaking havoc in China. Experts are closely monitoring this strain following the surge in cases, particularly in Hong Kong, where authorities are reporting the highest rate of virus circulation in at least a year.

According to CBS , in other Asian countries, including Taiwan, the worsening epidemic has led to an increase in emergency room visits and a rising number of epidemic-related deaths.

The virus has also been observed elsewhere in Europe since April, as the ECDC, the European health authority, explained to BFMTV: "A few sequences of NB.1.8.1 have been submitted by EU member states." This is the case in Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.

"It should be noted that the number of SARS-CoV-2 sequences is currently quite low. The variant is not yet classified as a variant under surveillance by the ECDC," the health authority adds, noting a "low level of circulation in the EU during 2025."

However, this "complex" virus is a source of concern. According to Chinese data, it has the capacity for "immune evasion." In other words, it can evade our defenses acquired during infection or a vaccine.

"The Chinese seem to be saying that this variant has a growth advantage (...) it enters cells more quickly and reproduces. Its specificities probably foreshadow that this variant of the virus will become the majority in the future," notes the virologist, who notes that the variant "appears a little bit everywhere."

In France, the overall context is one of significant circulation of the Covid-19 virus. According to data from the World Health Organization , 19% of tests for this virus were positive last week. This data should be qualified as the number of these tests has decreased, and they are no longer covered by health insurance , except for vulnerable people.