Another COVID-19 Variant Virus Discovered in Finland

[Asia Economy Reporter Onyu Lim] Researchers in southern Finland have discovered a new COVID-19 variant, local broadcaster 'Yle' reported on the 19th (local time).

The Vita Institute in Helsinki stated that this variant, named 'Fin-796H,' exhibits some mutation forms found in the UK and South African variants, but the combination is unique.

An institute official added that this variant was found in a patient last week, and details about its transmissibility and resistance to vaccines are not yet known.

However, the official said that since Finland's COVID-19 infection rate is relatively low, it is unlikely that this variant originated in the country.

A virology professor at the University of Turku in Finland told Yle that based on the available information, the emergence of this variant is not a major concern.

However, the 'Vita Institute' warned that this new variant might not be detected by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests.

So far, about 450 cases of variant virus infections have been confirmed in Finland. Among these, 442 cases are related to the UK variant, 22 to the South African variant, and 1 to the Brazilian variant.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.