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Omicron mutation was first known to the world through Dr. Kuche, a South African doctor. SBS was the first Korean media to interview Dr. Kuche. Dr. Kutze warned that the situation could change rapidly in the next few weeks, saying that only reports of mild symptoms even if infected with Omicron have been reported.
Let's take a look at the report of Correspondent Kim Soo-hyung, who had an exclusive interview, and connect to Washington.
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Angelique Kuche, president of the Medical Association of South Africa, had an intuition that something was strange when he saw a sudden surge of corona patients who felt fatigue or a sore throat, unlike the existing symptoms, in South Africa, where the delta mutation is dominant.
[Angelik Kuche / President of the South African Medical Association: I did not lose my sense of smell or taste, nor did I have a runny nose. There were no such symptoms when infected with the delta mutation.]
Finally, on the 18th of last month, the health authorities requested a detailed analysis, and it was confirmed as an omicron mutation completely different from the delta.
Dr. Kuche said that even if you are infected with Omicron, the symptoms are mild, so don't worry.
[Angelik Kuche/President of the South African Medical Association: Just because you have mild symptoms doesn't mean you shouldn't worry about the virus. That's not what we're talking about. It may not hurt very much. However, if you experience these symptoms, you should see a doctor.]
Most of the Omicron patients he treated were under the age of 40, so it was easy to get through, but he warned that the situation could change rapidly in the coming weeks as the elderly became infected.
[Angelik Kuche/Chairman of the South African Medical Association: (There is a concern that the (Omicron) situation may get worse in the near future. What do you think?) I completely agree. We're going to see more people get sick. Because they are older and have chronic diseases. Maybe a week or two later.]
Omicron also explained that, like the delta mutation, those vaccinated had fewer symptoms and a faster recovery.
[Angelic Kuche/President of the South African Medical Association: They recovered faster. It didn't hurt that badly when I got vaccinated.]
He advised that basic quarantine is the most important thing for Korea, which is preparing for Omicron.
[Angelik Kuche/President of the South African Medical Association: Wear a mask, keep your distance, and get vaccinated. That's what you can do.]
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There are many things to listen to in the story of Dr. Kuche. So let's connect Washington. Correspondent Kim Soo-hyung, how is the situation in South Africa, where the omicron mutation has been confirmed?
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South Africa is plagued with fear of Omicron.
Although it is not accurately counting how many people have been infected with the Omicron mutation, the number of confirmed cases of the corona virus, which was between 200 and 300 at the beginning of last month, has continued to increase, and has increased by more than 300% in the past week, and now the number of confirmed cases per day has exceeded 4,300. I did.
As the transmission power is expected to be stronger than the delta mutation, there is even an estimate that 90% of new confirmed cases will be omicron infections.
The Korean embassy in South Africa has also begun to prepare safety measures for Koreans.
[Park Chul-joo / Ambassador of South Africa: It is expected that the number of new confirmed cases per day can rise to the level of up to 10,000. We are actively requesting and supporting our compatriots and companies to strengthen quarantine measures.]
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And following Moderna vaccine, there were also announcements that many of the COVID-19 antibody treatments are somewhat ineffective against Omicron.
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Regeneron of the United States announced that the anti-corona antibody treatment they developed may be less effective against omicron mutations.
Eli Lilly's antibody therapy is also known to be less effective.
In the midst of this, the US FDA advisory committee recommended that Merck approves 'molnupiravir', an edible corona treatment drug, but it is reported that there were strong opposition due to concerns about side effects.
As concerns grew that vaccines and therapeutics might not be effective, the White House reported that additional funds may be needed to respond to Omicron, and it appears to be busy preparing countermeasures.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it is also considering ways to shorten the duration of coronavirus testing for travelers entering the U.S. and add self-isolation requirements.
(Video coverage: Park Eun-ha, video editing: Jung Yong-hwa, Jeon Min-gyu)