The director of the Genome Center, a specialist in genetics at the Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Professor Ahmed Abutayon, revealed that the center affiliated to the Jalila Children's Hospital has reached an innovative laboratory examination that enables the identification of the source of the virus and tracks the transmission pathway of «Covid-19», in a manner Serial, down to the primary carrier of infection.
Abboution told «Emirates Today» that the center reached the new laboratory examination, in cooperation with the Dubai Health Authority and the Mohammed bin Rashid University of Health Sciences, finally, after completing a scientific study conducted by a specialized team, adding that the study is currently in the process of being prepared for publication in one of the The world's leading scientific journals.
He emphasized that one of the benefits of the new examination is its ability to determine the exact time of infection and its source, which enables specialists to identify any person who did not adhere to the quarantine specified by "14 days", before being allowed to go out again and mix with the community.
He added that the examination enables specialists to know whether the source of infection is from within the state or from outside it, by defining the sequence of the virus's fingerprint, and comparing it with the database in the country, which includes information about viruses located around the world, noting that the new mechanism allows Determine the country from which the virus came.
The information helps decision makers in the country determine which preventive measures to follow.
Abution mentioned that the new mechanism provides accurate information related to the places where the largest percentage of infection is recorded, whether it is commercial centers, schools or any other places, in preparation for taking appropriate supervisory and precautionary decisions.
He pointed out that the examination is considered to be a low cost, as it is equivalent to the cost of a regular examination to detect the virus, and it takes 48 hours, as a maximum, for the result to appear.
Abution added that the center is currently conducting a new research study to find out the reasons for the different complications of «Covid-19» between two people of the same age group, and of the same sex, despite their identical health conditions, pointing to the emergence of cases that have more severe symptoms than others, Without clear reasons.
He stressed that the study will monitor the genetic changes between this group of patients to know the genes that cause the difference in the level or severity of complications, and whether there are other causes related to the virus itself.
Ahmed Abutioun:
"The examination determines whether the source of infection is from the state or from outside it."