[국제]’No. 1 vaccination rate’ Israel “Corona infection rate declines”… “English mutation, mortality rate doubled”

[앵커]

Israel, which is the number one COVID-19 vaccination rate, has said that there is a significant decline in infection rates.

There are also studies outlining the dangers of the UK and South African mutation.

Let’s take a look at the details with reporter Jo Soo-hyun of the International Department. welcome.

Israel’s corona19 situation, ahead of vaccination, is improving?

[기자]

Yes, this is what Dr. Nahman Ash, Israel’s chief quarantine officer, said in an interview with the local media.

On the 9th local time, the number of new confirmed cases was 2,870, which was rated as “significant decline” compared to the previous week.

He also pointed out that “with the number of vaccinations exceeding 5 million, 54% of the total population, the number of severely ill patients also decreased to 650”

In response, he added, “It seems that the spread of Corona 19 has declined.”

The Israeli Ministry of Health also expressed its stance with Professor Ash’s remarks.

The Ministry of Health said that additional blockade mitigation measures are possible given the latest statistics on new cases and severely ill patients.

In addition, he added that the infection reproduction index, which once exceeded 1, has recently dropped to 0.8, and the positive rate compared to the number of tests has dropped to 3.3%.

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However, as the Passover, the largest holiday of the Jews, is approaching, it seems that there is still a situation where tensions cannot be released.

[기자]

Yes, the Passover period is from March 27th to April 4th.

Professor Ash said everything is still uncertain, but predicted that the blockade will not be strengthened again before the Passover.

A senior Israeli health ministry official also said he hopes to ease the restrictions on the number of people involved in gatherings so that family events can be held on the Passover.

However, he said that no discussions have been made to lift the blockade.

The two figures I just mentioned are those who have expressed their opposition, saying that recent government mitigation measures were carried out too hastily based on political judgment.

In Israel, with vaccination and the improvement of the Corona 19 indicator, the timing of lifting the blockade is now the biggest issue.

[앵커]

Corona 19 mutant virus is also showing a rapid spread around the world.

In the case of a UK mutation, research has shown that the fatality rate that leads to death is much higher than that of other viruses?

[기자]

Yes, the UK mutation is spreading faster because its spreading power is 40-70% higher than that of the existing virus.

However, it was believed that there was no significant difference in the fatality rate.

Research has shown that even this is not the case.

According to a study by a research team at the University of Exeter, UK, 227 people were infected with a mutation from the UK among a group of infected people of a similar size.

On the other hand, only 141 patients died from other viruses.

The research team analyzed that the fatality rate of the British variant is 30% to 100% higher.

The UK health authorities previously announced similar results, so let’s listen to them.

[패트릭 발란스 / 영국 최고 과학자문관 : 기존 바이러스 감염자 1,000명에서 대략 10명이 숨진다면 변이 바이러스 감염자는 13명~14명이 숨질 수 있습니다.]

[앵커]

In the meantime, some studies have shown that mutations originating in South Africa are particularly threatening, right?

[기자]

Yes, this is the result of a joint study conducted by researchers in the United States and South Africa.

The South African mutation has a spike protein called E484K, which has a specific mutation.

First, the researchers used computer simulations to determine the structure of the spike protein and the location of the mutation.

Then, we analyzed what changes the mutations in the spike protein would bring.

Some mutations have been shown to increase the infectivity of the virus and reduce the immune response.

In addition, an analysis suggests that the South African mutation may resist antibodies produced by current vaccines.

But he added that the overall impact of the mutation is still uncertain.

[앵커]

So, does this mean that further research is still needed to see how it affects fatality?

[기자]

Yes, the researchers have not yet figured out how much faster the infection progresses or the mortality rate is higher due to the South African mutation.

However, as it is certain that its spreading power is stronger than that of existing viruses, he stressed that a systematic surveillance and early identification system are needed.

The researchers compared the current pandemic to the speed battle between effective vaccination and mutant virus transmission.

If you don’t get an effective vaccine quickly, the mutant virus will become increasingly dominant and will neutralize all vaccines.

In addition, in the future fight against Corona 19, the South African mutation and the Brazilian mutation were diagnosed as being particularly concerned.

Earlier, on the 5th, a paper at Washington University of Medicine was published saying that neutralizing mutations in South Africa and Brazil requires 3.5 to 10 times more antibodies than the existing Corona 19.

Health experts are warning that the threat of the mutant virus must be taken seriously.