Coronavirus gamma strain also known as the Brazilian variant of the virus has been detected in a sample of a foreign citizen in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, whose lab confirmed the virus strain presence, said on Monday.

According to Sejla Goletic, the head of the team for virus sequencing, the sample was found in cooperation with Mostar University Clinical Hospital's Institute for Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostic on July 5.

“Since this is a foreign national, it raises the question of the efficiency of the surveillance system. Namely, it is logical to ask how did those people leave their own country and then entered BiH, because they certainly ‘did not pick it up’ in our country,” said Goletic.

She recalled that the gamma strain was first detected in Japan in a sample of Brazilian citizen.

Among other things, gamma strain is specific for the ability to surpass the immunity gained by natural infection or vaccination, Goletic explained. “Of course, this does not mean that those vaccinated against COVID-19 have no protection, because the vaccines are still the best and most efficient protection that will certainly reduce the symptoms,” she added.

Coronavirus was detected earlier this month in BiH, first in samples of foreigners and then in those of Bosnian citizens.