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But the more worrying thing is the mutant virus.
For the first time in Korea, a case of local transmission of a mutant virus has been confirmed.
There were cases of infection between family members living together, but this time the mutant virus has spread to relatives who do not live together.
Reporter Song In-ho reports.
<Reporter>
A foreigner who arrived in the United Arab Emirates at the end of December last year, has been self-quarantine in a house in Gyeongnam.
Then, on the 7th, before the release of quarantine, he was tested positive for coronavirus.
Five family members who stayed on the first floor apart from Mr. A, who lived on the second floor, were also confirmed.
The bigger problem was from next time.
32 relatives and acquaintances who visited A's house or met family members outside were confirmed one after another.
Of these, four relatives were confirmed to be infected with a mutant virus from the UK.
This is the first case in Korea that a mutant virus has spread to people who do not live together.
Genome analysis for the rest of the population may not have been completed, resulting in additional mutant virus infections.
The quarantine authorities are paying attention to the possibility that they spread the virus through contact with other people in the community.
In addition, 49 close contacts and 136 other contacts who have come into contact with them are investigated for mutant virus infection.
[Jung Eun-kyung/Director of the Korea Disease Control Center (last 1st): The number of confirmed cases of mutant virus infected in Korea is on the rise, so it is necessary to prepare for the risk of spreading
the mutant virus to the
local community.]
39 people.
The quarantine authorities said that it is only a matter of time before the mutant virus spreads further to local communities, and plans to strengthen the management of foreign immigrants to prevent the 4th pandemic.