Among the four suspected cases of Omicron mutation, a new mutant virus of Corona 19, in Korea, quarantine authorities are investigating the possibility that the Omicron mutation has already spread to the community by these suspects.
If the suspects met many people in the community before the confirmation, there is a possibility that omicron mutation infections will appear one after another, mainly in the Incheon area, where the suspect lives.
The results of whether they are actually infected with the omicron mutation will come out on the evening of the 1st or tomorrow morning.
Son Yeong-rae, head of the social strategy division of the Central Accident Response Headquarters (Jung Su-bon), said in a radio interview today that suspects of Omicron mutation infection are investigating people they had come into contact with in the community before the confirmation.
Director Sohn said, "The contact history of these people is not that much, but those who have completed the vaccination are not quarantined, so we are rushing to test and investigate because it may have caused a confirmed case."
He explained, "We are conducting an epidemiological investigation on the outside activities of the suspects before the confirmation, and investigating those classified as contacts."
The quarantine authorities said that four people, including a couple who visited Nigeria yesterday, were suspected of being infected with the Omicron mutation and are conducting tests to confirm the mutation.
A couple in their 40s living in Incheon, who returned to Korea on the 24th of last month, were confirmed with Corona 19 a day later on the 25th, and an acquaintance of a man in his 40s who brought the couple home from the airport and the couple's teenage son were confirmed yesterday.
Authorities suspected Omicron mutation infection while examining acquaintances, and since then, they are conducting a final confirmation test for Omicron mutation with four samples including a couple, acquaintances, and a son.
Director Sohn said, "The results of the analysis of confirmed cases are different from those of the delta mutation, and Nigeria is a place that is affected by Omicron, so the final result will have to be released, but the infection with the Omicron mutation is highly suspected."
He said, "We believe that it is the same virus because the four people have the same infection route, and the final test result will be confirmed this evening or tomorrow morning."
The Incheon couple were quarantined on the 25th of last month, right after returning home, but it is not yet confirmed whether their son and acquaintances were outside until they were confirmed.
Currently, those who have been vaccinated are not obligated to self-quarantine even if they are classified as close contacts of the confirmed person.
If a son and an acquaintance were active in an incubation period or infection for about 6 days from the 25th to the 30th of last month, the date of the couple's confirmation, there is a possibility that a large number of infected people will occur due to the nature of the Omicron mutation, which is known to be more contagious than other viruses.
Authorities are also investigating whether 45 people who entered the country on the same flight as the couple were infected.
(Photo = Yonhap News)