Health

Another New COVID-19 Variant Found In Japan

Four travelers from Brazil’s Amazonas state have been identified with a new coronavirus variant, Japan’s health ministry said Sunday.

The strain varies from highly infectious strains first identified in Britain and South Africa that, in those countries, have caused a spike in cases.

The ministry official said research on the efficacy of vaccines against the new form was underway.

“At the moment, there is no proof showing the new variant found in those from Brazil is high in infectiousness,” Takaji Wakita, head of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, told a health ministry briefing.

Even so, Brazil’s Ministry of Health said Japanese authorities have confirmed that the latest version has 12 mutations, one of which is also present in the variants found in the UK. South Africa as well.

“It implies a potential higher virus infectiousness,” it said.

A man in his 40s had trouble breathing, a woman in her 30s had a headache and sore throat, and a teenage male had a fever, while a teenage girl showed no symptoms, were out of four travelers who arrived at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Jan. 2, the health ministry said.

The four individuals tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the airport quarantine and, according to the ministry, the latest mutant strain was identified by a thorough analysis of the NIID.

The ministry also said that three separate individuals who had close contact with a man infected with the strain were identified with the variant reported in Britain.

Japan announced a state of emergency for Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures on Thursday after seeing a sharp increase in coronavirus cases.

Cumulative cases have crossed around 289,000 nationally, with 4,061 deaths, said NHK, a public broadcaster.

Source: Japan Times

Adib Mohd

Recent Posts

From Cookies to Classrooms: Starbucks Raises Over RM100K to Revive Centre for the Deaf

What if your sweet tooth could change lives? Since 2018, Starbucks Malaysia has raised over… Read More

2 days ago

Tous les Jours Expands in Malaysia with New Outlets at Sunway Pyramid and Sunway Velocity

Malaysian fans of delectable K-inspired baked goods will be delighted to hear that Tous Les… Read More

2 days ago

Stitch Lands in KL, Disney’s Blue Menace Takes Over Pavilion This School Holiday

Get ready for a school holiday filled with tropical vibes as Pavilion Kuala Lumpur transforms… Read More

2 days ago

Malaysia Gears Up for Southeast Asia’s First Smart City Expo, Here’s Why You Should Care

Kuala Lumpur just flipped the switch on something big. The 100-day countdown to Smart City… Read More

2 days ago

Ejen Ali: The Movie Review, A Next-Level Win for Malaysian Animation

Ejen Ali: The Movie 2 isn’t just a sequel, it’s a bold upgrade that proves… Read More

2 days ago

When Creativity Meets Comfort: LEGO® and IKEA Malaysia Reimagine Home Decor

When Creativity Meets Comfort: LEGO® and IKEA Malaysia Reimagine Home Decor With its latest collection… Read More

4 days ago

This website uses cookies.