First Case of Brazil-Origin Variant Confirmed in the US

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyun-ui Cho] The first case of infection with the Brazil-originated novel coronavirus (COVID-19) variant has been reported in the United States.

On the 25th (local time), according to local media such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, the Minnesota Department of Health announced that it had identified one confirmed case of the Brazil-originated variant virus.

The Brazil-originated variant virus is understood to be a "super-variant" that possesses both the high transmissibility characteristics of the UK-originated variant and the vaccine evasion traits of the South Africa-originated variant.

According to Minnesota, the confirmed case of the Brazil-originated variant virus recently traveled to Brazil. Symptoms appeared from the first week of this month, and the individual underwent a COVID-19 diagnostic test on the 9th.

The health authorities reportedly discovered the Brazil-originated variant virus through genome sequencing analysis of randomly conducted blood sample tests.

A Minnesota Department of Health official stated, "The confirmed patient is currently in isolation, and an epidemiological investigation is underway."