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Context

• The Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been confirmed in India and in at least 30 other countries by the World Health Organization (WHO).

What is the S-gene drop out?

• The WHO has also recommended that certain commonly used COVID-19 detection tests, with ‘S-gene dropout’ capabilities, can be used to quickly screen for an Omicron infection.
• Tests usually look for three target genes related to parts of the virus: S (spike), N2 (nucleocapsid or inner area) and E (envelope or outer shell).
• The S-gene refers to the gene that codes for the spike protein, or the most distinctive part of the coronavirus.
• The SARS-CoV-2, like many other coronaviruses, has key protein-regions that define its structure: The envelope protein (E), the nucleocapsid protein(N), the membrane protein (M) and the spike protein (S).
• To accurately identify the virus, diagnostic tests are made that can identify characteristic genes that make these proteins.

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