France detects first cases of Indian COVID variant -ministry

France detected its first cases of contamination with the B.1.617 variant of the novel coronavirus, currently very present in India, the country's Health Ministry said in a statement late on Thursday.

A first case, involving a woman who travelled to India and is living in southwestern France, was confirmed on Thursday, the ministry said. Two other people who travelled to India were infected with the so-called Indian variant in southeastern France, the ministry said.