Known as 'IHU', the B.1.640.2 variant has been reported by researchers at institute IHU Mediterranee Infection in at least 12 cases, and has been linked to travel to African country Cameroon.
The IHU variant which is said to be more infectious than the Omicron strain has 46 mutations as per the research which was supported by the French government However the WHO is yet to label it a variant under investigation
As COVID-19 infections spike in the country resulting in restrictions in various states and impacting the fragile recovery, many economists are expecting RBI to delay the policy normalisation move, which is expected in the February review. Omicron Spread: Economists See New COVID-19 Variant Forcing RBI To Delay Policy Normalisation.
In the study the researchers claimed that the new variant has links with Cameroon It said that the index case was a fully vaccinated man who returned to France from Cameroon in November last year