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18,000 PCR tests are evaluated every day in a laboratory in Johannesburg. Technicians came across the new Omikron corona variant. At first they didn't want to set off a false alarm. "But then we were pretty sure that something was wrong," says one scientist.
The most common tests for detecting the coronavirus target three genes.
A month ago, however, the scientists found, to their surprise, that one of the three genes no longer appeared in the positive results. "At first we weren't quite sure what it was, whether it was an existing or a new variant," says the virologist.
“It turned out to be a completely different virus.” Vardas was convinced that the modified virus was the reason for the exponential increase in infections in South Africa and sent her results and samples to the health authorities.
https://www.welt.de/wissenschaft/article...eckte.html
The most common tests for detecting the coronavirus target three genes.
A month ago, however, the scientists found, to their surprise, that one of the three genes no longer appeared in the positive results. "At first we weren't quite sure what it was, whether it was an existing or a new variant," says the virologist.
“It turned out to be a completely different virus.” Vardas was convinced that the modified virus was the reason for the exponential increase in infections in South Africa and sent her results and samples to the health authorities.
https://www.welt.de/wissenschaft/article...eckte.html
