COVID-19: South Korea effects new genome sequence
South Korea's Public Health Authority has found three new mutated genome sequences from COVID-19 among import cases, Yonhap news agency reported.
Genetic mutations were detected to have a protein spike on the main surface of the virus from three cases of COVID-19 imports, two each from Pakistan and one from Uzbekistan.
The Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) says the new mutation differs from 78,810 viral genome sequences registered in the global science initiative database and the main source for influenza virus genomic data (GISAID), which is on virus research conducted by the World Health Organization ( WHO).
"The three patients were quarantined when they arrived in the country and were not allowed to contact outsiders," KCDC chief Jeong Eun-kyeong said at a media briefing.
The findings are based on KCDC genome sequencing analysis of a total of 776 COVID-19 patients, including 597 local infections and 179 import cases.
Jeong said further experiments should be done to determine the degree of infection and pathogen.
The new COVID-19 is classified into seven types (strains) namely S, V, L, G, GH, GR and the rest are in accordance with amino acids, according to the GISAID database.
The GH group was detected in 437 local infections with most of them linked to the country's leading e-commerce operator warehouse, the KCDC said.
While the GH group, which is mutated from type S, reproduces well in cells and is more contagious, making it spread faster.
The second most common COVID-19 group in South Korea is V, with 120 local cases infected with the genetics, the KCDC said.
According to the KCDC, 32 local cases were grouped under group S and eight cases under GR.
He added that out of 179 import cases, 100 patients or 56 percent, were classified as GR group, with 40 of them GH group and 18 other G group.
South Korea identified an increase of 28 new cases on Monday, including 17 local infections, bringing the total to 14,626 cases, the KCDC said.
SOURCE: BH