Experts call for more testing for new variant as XE enters New Zealand
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E-mail Xinhua, April 27, 2022
WELLINGTON, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Public health experts in New Zealand have called for more testing for new COVID-19 variants such as the Omicron XE as the country detected the first case of XE at the border on Saturday.
Although the Ministry of Health said its arrival is not unexpected, epidemiologists have urged more Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing, which is more accurate, instead of mere Rapid antigen tests (RATs), as some of those RATs aren't being put on record.
"At the moment, travelers entering the country do two RATs within a week, if the test is positive they do a PCR test," Epidemiologist Michael Baker told reporters.
This was how the first case of the XE variant was detected, Baker said, adding more PCR tests should be administered.
A person who has traveled from overseas to New Zealand has been confirmed to be infected with the XE variant of Omicron, said the Ministry of Health.
This is the first known detection of the Omicron XE variant in New Zealand, the ministry said.
According to the ministry, the person, who is currently isolated at home, arrived in New Zealand on April 19 and was tested on April 20. The whole-genome sequencing subsequently confirmed the presence of the Omicron XE variant.
"XE has been spreading overseas, and its arrival in New Zealand is not unexpected," said the ministry.
Baker said the situation would change with new variants emerging. Not all cases in New Zealand would be the Omicron variant.
The epidemic situation will get more complicated when more and more travelers enter the country later this year with the border fully opened, he said.
Epidemiologist Arindam Basu said New Zealand has not seen a rise in the cases of the new variant as it is because of the high vaccination rates of the country, with more than 72 percent of the eligible population having had three doses of the COVID-19 vaccines.
New Zealand is currently under the orange settings of the COVID-19 Protection Framework, where there is no limit for gatherings. Enditem
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