Japan Finds A New Variant Of Corona Virus, Originally From Abroad

Illustration. (Prasesh Shiwakoti / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Japan has confirmed the findings of a new variant of the corona virus, which originated in an area in eastern Japan and an airport. This is a new challenge, in the midst of Japan's efforts to overcome the third wave of the pandemic, because this variant is different from the one that existed before.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said the new variant had been found in 91 cases in the Kanto area in eastern Japan and in 2 cases at the airport. According to him, the government will increase surveillance of mutant varieties, anticipating vaccine resistance.

"It may be more contagious than conventional strains, and if it continues to spread domestically, it could lead to a rapid increase in cases," Kato said.

Meanwhile, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases revealed that this new variant is thought to have originated abroad, but is different from other types that have been sporadically discovered in Japan. This variant is referred to as E484K in a viral spike protein that has been found in other variants, which can impair vaccine effectiveness.

Japan is known to have reported 151 cases of the variant from the UK, South Africa and Brazil, according to the Ministry of Health. The country has had more than 400,000 cases of COVID-19 with 7,194 deaths.

Separately, a spokesperson for the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau revealed that 5 staff and 39 foreign prisoners at the Tokyo immigration facility tested positive for COVID-19. In addition, all 130 detainees at the facility have been tested for the virus. There are no serious cases, and all infected prisoners remain quarantined from others.

The representative declined to comment on the nationalities of the infected detainees, citing privacy concerns.