Seegene exports 5.1m COVID-19 test kits to Israel

South Korea's molecular diagnostics company Seegene Inc. said Tuesday it has exported 5.1 million COVID-19 test kits to Israel.

The company already delivered 1.7 million diagnostic tests last month and is scheduled to deliver an additional 3.4 million tests kits this month.

Israel has recently experienced a shortage of COVID-19 tests amid the fast spread of the omicron variant and an unprecedented surge in new cases following the winter flu season.

Seegene said its delivery of COVID-19 diagnostic tests is expected to cover approximately 57 percent of Israel's 9 million population.

"We will continue to support countries in need of COVID-19 tests to improve global health," said CEO Chun Jong-Yoon said in a press release.

Seegene said it will deliver various COVID-19 test kits to Israel, including two models that can quickly determine the omicron variant in real time and distinguish between influenza virus and COVID-19.

The Israeli health authorities announced 27,167 new COVID-19 cases Sunday, raising the country's total number of infections to 1,785,551. (Yonhap)