[앵커]
Despite the news that the vaccine is being brought in, the thing that makes the corona situation completely unsafe is that the’mutant virus’ continues to emerge. In particular, the Korean quarantine authorities are also tense as research results show that the mutant virus identified in Japan has the characteristics of both the existing British and South African mutant viruses.
This is reporter Lee Hee-jung.
[기자]
This is the research data released on the 10th by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan.
According to the paper, the Japanese mutant virus has characteristics of both British and South African variants.
It contains all the key mutant proteins from the British and South African variants.
[이상원/중앙방역대책본부 역학조사분석단장 : 영국과 또 다른 나라, 남아공의 특성을 모두 가지고 있는 그런 바이러스이고 아마도 브라질에서 연유됐을 것으로 판단하는 경향이 있습니다.]
The UK variant spreads, or infects, up to 70% faster than conventional viruses.
The South African variant has a 10-fold reduction in antibodies.
Your immunity to the virus can be greatly reduced.
Because of this, our quarantine authorities are also tense.
[이상원/중앙방역대책본부 역학조사분석단장 : 감염력은 더 높아질 수 있지만 그것이 더 위중도에 영향을 준다는 이런 학계의 정론은 아직 없는 편이고 여기에 대해서는 좀 더 연구가 필요한 상황입니다.]
I have more problems in the future.
The coronavirus itself can mutate.
[백순영/가톨릭대 의과대학 명예교수 : 변이는 계속 일어나고 있고요. 국내에 입국한 확진자들의 전수조사가 필요한 상황이다. 즉, 확진자들 중에 변이 바이러스가 있는지 없는지 확인할 필요가 있다고 봅니다.]
So it is important to clarify the mutation process and characteristics of the mutant virus that is emerging.
The Korean government has required corona negative results to be issued at the airport for those arriving from the UK and South Africa as well as from Brazil.
If there were symptoms, the airport was tested, and if there were no symptoms, the temporary living facility was tested within three days of entry, and before quarantine.
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