[국제]WHO “Variation from UK, spread to 50 regions”…2 new mutations found in the US

[앵커]

The World Health Organization’s WHO has determined that the COVID-19 mutation from the UK has so far spread to 50 regions around the world.

In the midst of this, two new mutant viruses have been discovered in the United States, raising concerns about the spread.

Reporter Jo Soo-hyun reports.

[기자]

The World Health Organization’s WHO said that the corona mutation from the UK has spread to 50 regions, and the mutation from South Africa has spread to 20 regions.

Mutations found in Japan were diagnosed as needing further investigation, claiming that they could affect the immune response.

“The more coronavirus spreads, the more likely it is to change,” the WHO expressed concern.

In particular, it was analyzed that more mutations are expected in the future when looking at high levels of transmission.

[마크 라이언 / WHO 긴급대응팀장 : (코로나19 팬데믹) 2년째로 접어든 이 시점에서 전염력 등의 상황을 보면 더 많은 어려움이 예상됩니다.]

In the US state of Ohio, two new mutations have been reported, different from the British and South African variants.

According to researchers at Ohio State University, one of them was found in only one.

It contains the same genetic mutation as the British mutation, but it is an analysis that appears to have occurred in a virus species that already existed in the United States.

The other variant has already been shown to have spread widely in Columbus, Ohio’s capital, since the end of last month.

It is characterized by having 3 different gene mutations that have never been observed at once.

The researchers explain that these three mutations represent significant evolution.

There is no evidence that the newly discovered mutations reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine, but the anxiety does not go away as it is highly contagious, just like the UK and South Africa.

This is YTN Soohyun Cho.

[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN plus 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]