Analysis of mutations in Omicron, confirmed cases in the Netherlands, Germany, and Nigeria
The quarantine authorities are making every effort to check whether Omicron, a new mutation of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), has been introduced into Korea by analyzing all the genomes of confirmed patients from overseas.
Koh Jae-young, spokesperson for the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), said at a briefing at the Central Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarters on the 30th, “From the 26th, we have been analyzing all samples that can be analyzed for the genomes of foreign migrants.”
From the 26th to the previous day, analysis is being carried out on 60 samples that can be analyzed out of 101 samples of confirmed patients imported from abroad.
The whole genome analysis of the Dutch and German immigrants who were confirmed in Ulsan on the same day is also in progress.
Results will be released this weekend (December 4-5).
The patient who arrived from the Netherlands on the 28th is a foreign national, and the patient who arrived from Germany on the 29th is a Korean national.
Both the Netherlands and Germany are countries where Omicron mutations have been confirmed.
Authorities said they are also conducting full-length genome analysis of confirmed patients who arrived from Nigeria.
Recently, in Canada and Hong Kong, it was confirmed that a Nigerian person was infected with the omicron mutation.
Whether the person is infected with the omicron mutation, which has 32 mutations in the spike (S) gene region, can be confirmed by additionally analyzing the entire gene of the confirmed patient sample (full genome analysis method).
Mutation analysis is being conducted by 2-3 people per institution at the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and five regional centers.
Variation analysis conducted since January of this year was 75,170 cases (72,37 domestic cases, 4,933 cases imported from abroad).
A test method that can quickly identify micron mutations with a gene amplification (PCR) test is currently being developed.
As concerns about the spread of omicron mutations grew worldwide, the authorities took measures such as banning entry of foreigners from eight countries, including South Africa, where omicron mutations occurred, starting on the 27th.
At this stage, the authorities have imposed entry restrictions on eight African countries, but they plan to expand the number of countries with entry restrictions by continuously monitoring and evaluating the level of risk and the spread of each country.
Park Young-joon, head of the Epidemiological Investigation Team, Bang Dae-bon, said, “We do not impose restrictions on entry just because we entered the country from the country where the mutation occurred. said.
Team leader Park explained, “There is a side to seeing countries with omicron mutations and countries at risk differently.
/yunhap news
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