Medical staff are working at a field hospital set up in Central Park, New York, USA, to accommodate patients infected with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the 1st (local time). (Photo by Yonhap News)
[Reporter Moon Jiwon, Asia Economy] A study has revealed that the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) was first introduced to New York, USA, not by Asians but by Europeans.
On the 8th (local time), according to the American daily The New York Times (NYT), New York University and Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine analyzed the genetic sequences of viruses collected from COVID-19 patients in New York since mid-last month, and found that the majority were infected with viruses originating from Europe.
Although the two research teams conducted studies on different subject groups, they reportedly reached almost identical conclusions.
According to the report, the research team analyzed the virus's route of entry by examining mutations that occur during the replication process of the RNA (genomic RNA) containing genetic information of the COVID-19 virus that invaded host cells.
The NYU Grossman School of Medicine research team explained that among the 75 virus samples analyzed, two-thirds appeared to originate from European countries such as the United Kingdom and France.
In fact, virus nucleotide sequence mutations related to the UK were found in a patient from Long Island, New York State, who was infected with COVID-19 without any history of overseas travel last month.
This indicates that the patient had contact with someone who brought the virus from the UK.
The NYT explained that the hidden spread of the virus, which could have been detected if aggressive diagnostic testing had been conducted before the first confirmed case, was proven through this experiment.
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