Scientists warn a new ‘severe’ Covid variant has been detected which is ‘already in the UK’

Brits are being warned that a new “severe” mutated virus has been detected which has “46 mutations” which is “already in the UK.”

A “new variant” has been found in Southern France where 12 patients in the region who tested positive showed “an atypical combination” and the index case had travelled from Cameroon.

The “emergence of the new variant” is officially named as B.1.640.2, which has been Dubbed the IHU variant and encompasses “present genomes and three other genomes,” including “two samples collected in England.”

“These observations show once again the unpredictability of the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants and their introduction from abroad, and they exemplify the difficulty to control such introduction and subsequent spread,” the authors said.

Infectious disease specialist Vipin M. Vashishtha wrote on Twitter, “Omicron may not be the last worrisome variant of concern (VOC).

“Emergence in southern France of a new SARS2 variant, B1.640.2, aka IHU.

“Experts believe it to be as transmissible as Delta but causing more severe disease and more immune evasive than the former VOC.

“There are close to 1,000 cases detected so far and cases found in the UK and Monaco.”

The new variant of concern was first detected by experts at the IHU Mediterranee Infection in Marseille.

They announced that patients from Forcalquier, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region had the new Covid variant and the lineage is genetically different.

According to Imperial College London virologist Dr Tom Peacock said that the new variant “actually pre-dated Omicron” and this is “not one worth worrying about too much” at the moment.