One Additional Domestic Infection of BA.2.75 Variant Confirmed...Total 3 Cases (Update)

50s Resident in Incheon... Completed 3rd Vaccination Dose

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] Additional cases of the BA.2.75 variant have been confirmed following the previous day.

On the 22nd, the Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that one more domestic infection case of the BA.2.75 variant was confirmed. The health authorities are currently conducting an epidemiological investigation on this confirmed case.

The additional confirmed case is a person in their 50s residing in Incheon, who has received three doses of the vaccine. Symptoms appeared on the 18th, and the diagnosis was confirmed on the 19th. The patient is currently undergoing home treatment with mild symptoms. The Central Disease Control Headquarters explained that no epidemiological link has been found with the previous two BA.2.75 infection cases.

Previously, BA.2.75 variant cases were confirmed on the 14th and the 21st. With this additional confirmation, the total number of BA.2.75 variant infection cases in the country has reached three.

The first confirmed case was a man in his 60s living in Incheon, with no history of overseas travel during the possible infection period. This has raised concerns that the BA.2.75 variant may have already spread within the local community. Four close contacts were identified, including one cohabitant and three community members, but no additional confirmed cases have been reported among them so far.

The second confirmed case, identified the previous day, was an imported case from India, a person in their 30s who entered through Incheon Airport. The individual arrived from India on the 5th and was confirmed positive after testing on the 7th, two days later.

BA.2.75 was first discovered in India in May of this year and is spreading in the United States, Europe, and other regions. Compared to BA.2, BA.2.75 has eight additional mutations in the spike gene, allowing it to bind more effectively to cells and strongly evade antibodies formed by vaccination or previous infection.

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