Following the omicron recombination mutation 'XL' in Korea, 'XE' and 'XM' infections were also confirmed for the first time.
The Central Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarters (Bangdaebon) announced today (19th) that it is conducting an epidemiological investigation as two cases of recombination mutation XE and one case of XM were confirmed.
One out of two cases of XE infection in Korea was a case that came from the UK and was confirmed on the 27th of last month, and the other case was confirmed in Korea on the 30th of last month.
In the case of XM infection, a mutant infection was confirmed on the 27th of last month.
The XE mutation is a mutation in which the gene of BA.1, which is the existing omicron mutation, and BA.2, also called 'stealth omicron', are recombined. I lost.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 489 cases have been confirmed in four countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Ireland, since January, and since then, cases have been confirmed in Asian countries such as Taiwan, Thailand and Japan.
The UK Health and Safety Agency also announced on the 8th that 1,179 cases of XE infection were confirmed in the UK alone.
The XM mutation is a mutation in which the genes of Omicron BA.1.1 and BA.2 are recombined, and there has been no report of any characteristic change that is different from the existing virus.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of the 18th, 32 cases have been confirmed in eight countries, including Germany, Denmark, and Austria, since February.
The authorities said, "The WHO classifies omicron recombination mutations such as XE and XM as (wide range) omicron, so the change in characteristics is not expected to be significant." "He said.