Last week, 34 additional phylogenetic mutations were confirmed in Korea with stronger transmission power than the existing Corona 19 micron mutation.



The Central Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarters announced today (31st) that an epidemiological investigation was carried out after 34 additional mutations in the detailed system of Omicron were confirmed last week (22-28), the 4th week of May.



By mutation type, 28 new cases of BA.2.12.1 that spread mainly in the United States were identified, and 4 and 2 additional cases of BA.4 and BA.5 spread in South Africa were detected, respectively.



Among the additional confirmed BA.2.12.1 infections, 23 were imported cases, and 5 were infected in Korea.



Most of the countries imported from overseas are the United States, and there is one case of entry from Turkey, Mexico, Canada, and Croatia.



The two additional cases of BA.5 were imported from abroad, respectively, from South Africa and the United States.



BA.4 Among the 4 additional confirmed cases, 3 were imported from abroad (Ethiopia, South Africa, Pakistan), and 1 was domestic.



As a result, the total number of cumulative infections of omicron detailed mutations in Korea so far is 74, including 60 BA.2.12.1, 6 BA.4, and 8 BA.5 cases.



The detection rate of domestic Omicron mutation was confirmed to be 100% in both domestic and overseas cases.



BA.2.3 showed 60.2% and BA.2 33.5% of the detection rate of the detailed system of Omicron in Korea.



Last week, the risk of COVID-19 was evaluated as 'low' for the second week in a row in the nationwide, metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas.



This is a result that reflects the trend of a continuous decrease in the number of new confirmed cases, deaths, and severe cases.



The number of new corona19 confirmed last week was 129,337 (a daily average of 18,477), a decrease of 28.9% from the previous week.



The number of new confirmed cases has continued to decrease for 10 weeks since the 3rd week of March.



Last week, the number of new cases of severe serious illness was 148, down 21.3% from the previous week.



The death toll was 228, a decrease of 8.8%.



(Photo = Yonhap News)