Member of the National Epidemiological Committee Bassam Hijjawi said, on Wednesday, that Jordan has not recorded any confirmed infection with the mutated Omicron version of the Corona virus so far.

Hijjawi indicated through the program “kingdom sound“, to one case suspected of being infected with Omicron, who has been under quarantine for 3 days, and who came from abroad through the border crossings, and she is not a Jordanian.

Hijjawi pointed out that it is not easy to know the new mutant, whose discovery process passes through three stages, starting with a virus detection test (PCR), and if the result is positive, another test is performed, and then the genetic sequence is examined.

Member of the National Center for Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases, Rima Hajjo, spoke about the existence of 702 genetic sequences so far found in the global gene bank from all countries of the world about Omicron.

When Omicron was discovered in its first days, 50 mutations were found on the genetic sequence, but some of the mutant have 100 mutations, according to Hajjo, who said, “What we knew a week ago according to studies changed what we know today.”

And Hajjo explained scientifically, that the virus sends signals different from the Corona virus (SARS-CoV-2), and the tests showed that the sequences that distinguish the virus in general, and in the case of a mutant or micron, one of the genes fails to appear in the examination.

A deletion of a gene and a change in the gene sequence also appears in the Omicron mutant, according to Hijo, who indicated that there are tools dedicated to examinations that may discover the fact that the virus detected in the examination has mutated.

She explained that the PCR examination looks at specific and known parts of the virus, while the genetic sequencing examination deals with the genetic sequence and the entire genetic strain of the virus.

She stressed the necessity of having a reference on the genetic sequence of the virus with which tests are compared to confirm the presence of an omicron.