A new variant of the virus behind COVID-19 has been detected in Japan, the country’s Health Ministry announced on Sunday.
The mutation was found in four people — male and female, ranging from their teens to their 40s — who arrived from Brazil. While there are similarities to strains first reported in the U.K. and South Africa, this particular type does not appear to have been spotted before.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has reported the variant to the World Health Organization.
The infected passengers arrived at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Jan. 2. After they tested positive at the airport, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases analyzed their samples and confirmed the COVID-19 variant. Three had shown symptoms such as difficulty breathing, fever and sore throat.
The NIID also announced its confirmation of the new variant on Sunday. At present, the institute said, it is difficult to judge the strain’s transmissibility, the risk of developing serious symptoms and the effectiveness of vaccines.
The variants found in the U.K. and South Africa have been determined to spread more easily than strains detected earlier in the pandemic. Japan, meanwhile, is in the midst of its worst coronavirus wave yet.
Sourced : Nikki Asia
