France reports a new variant in Brittany named "Breton" variant which goes undetected by current standard PCR tests. But they report that it's no more virulent or transmissible than the original virus.
The Pastuer Institute hasn't released the full sequencing details yet, other than to mention that the new variant is "... carrying nine mutations in the area coding for S protein, as well as in other viral regions”
A standard PCR test for Covid targets specific gene segments for positive diagnosis. If the Breton variant has suffered genetic changes at all the gene sites that the PCR test usually covers, then test results could deliver false-negative results - which is exactly the case here. But PCR tests can be updated to continue detecting these.
The Pastuer Institute hasn't released the full sequencing details yet, other than to mention that the new variant is "... carrying nine mutations in the area coding for S protein, as well as in other viral regions”
A standard PCR test for Covid targets specific gene segments for positive diagnosis. If the Breton variant has suffered genetic changes at all the gene sites that the PCR test usually covers, then test results could deliver false-negative results - which is exactly the case here. But PCR tests can be updated to continue detecting these.
