(Health Korea News / Lee Si-woo) As pandemic respiratory diseases such as COVID-19, influenza, and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) are rampant, stocks related to vaccines, treatments, and diagnostic kits are booming.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 10th, the number of flu patients, which is showing an unprecedented spread mainly among teenagers, has increased 14-fold in the past month. The national influenza incidence rate (ILI) recorded 99.8 in the first week of January. ILI refers to the number of suspected patients showing flu symptoms out of 1,000 outpatients.
ILI, which was 13.6 in the 50th week of last year (December 8 to 14), rapidly increased to 31.3 in the 51st week and 73.9 in the 52nd week, and reached close to 100 in the first week of January. This means that one out of 10 patients who visit the hospital is suspected of having flu.
What’s even more concerning about the current situation is that it could easily become ‘multitemic’. While COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus are already showing signs of becoming prevalent, frontline medical institutions are dealing with unfamiliar names such as rhinovirus (common cold), metapneumovirus (HMPV), parainfluenza virus, and bocavirus. Patients with respiratory diseases are also visiting one after another.
As various respiratory diseases are becoming a pandemic, frontline local hospitals are crowded with Chinese characters wherever they go. In particular, waiting times for treatment in ENT and pediatric departments are at least 1 to 2 hours, and in some places, it can be as long as 3 hours. As some pharmacies run out of prescription drugs, some patients are turning to other pharmacies.
But if there are people who cry, there are also people who laugh. Companies producing virus diagnostic kits are seeing a significant increase in their stock prices.
Seegene (096530), a company related to diagnostic kits, soared 16.04% on the 6th. Over the past four trading days, there has been a trend of adjustment due to the surge, but the possibility of a rebound is open depending on the situation.
Seegene is recognized for its technology in the field of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) molecular diagnostics. PCR is a technology that detects the cause of a disease by analyzing DNA (Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid) and RNA (RiboNucleic Acid) containing genetic information in samples collected from the human body, animals or plants. It sells 126 products through local corporations and branches not only in Korea but also in the United States, Canada, the Middle East, Germany, Italy, and Brazil.
Humasis (205470) is also experiencing repeated fluctuations. In the new year, it rose 5.93% compared to the previous two trading days, and on the 6th it surged 16.69%, reflecting good news. Humasis, established in June 2000, is a company that produces, manufactures, and sells in vitro diagnostic medical devices (test reagents and immunoquantitative analysis equipment).
The hottest stock is Sugentech (253840). Sugentech’s stock price soared 65.29% compared to the last trading day of last year (5,330 won on December 30). The closing price on the 10th is 8810 won.
Sugentech is an in vitro diagnostic company that develops and sells diagnostic platforms and product lineups in the areas of Lab, POCT, and home testing based on IT (information and communication), BT (biotechnology), and NT (nanotechnology) convergence technologies. It is a professional company. Based on the multiple immunoblot platform technology, it has strengths in allergy, autoimmunity, and dementia testing.
In particular, Sugentech made headlines when its subsidiary Bespex won the ‘AI Wellness 111 Innovation Award’ at CES, the world’s largest IT exhibition held in Las Vegas, USA this year. Bespex operates the couple calendar ‘Signaling’ (pictured), a comprehensive solution that manages schedules, tracks health, and shares lifestyles of customers such as lovers and couples based on an intelligent calendar. It has become popular among the global 2030 generation, recording 400,000 cumulative downloads and 180,000 monthly active users within 10 months of launch.
Experts said, “As the number of influenza patients has increased recently, the demand for diagnostic kits and related medicines has surged to the point where there is a temporary shortage.” “However, as the price rise of related theme stocks is expected to differ depending on the stock, it is better to take advantage of this and buy without question. “You have to be careful,” he advised.
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