IHU Variant:
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IHU is another variant of COVID-19 inducing coronavirus.
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The variant is a sub-lineage of the B.1.640. Hence, that’s why, it has been classified as B.1.640.2.
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It has been named IHU in reference to the institute to which the researchers belong.
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Till now, only France has reported a dozen cases. No other country has detected any new cases of the new variant. That is why, WHO has not yet called this IHU variant a variant of interest, a variant of concern or even a variant under investigation.
B.1.640 variant:
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B.1.640 is a variant of Covid-19.
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It was first detected in January 2021.
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The highest number of cases of the B.1.640 variant has been reported from France, followed by Congo, Germany and the United Kingdom.
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WHO had designated this variant as a variant under monitoring (VUM) meaning that it has potential to pose a future risk, but more monitoring, evidence and studies are needed.