Japan National Institute of Infectious Diseases The above authorities have found a new strain of the coronavirus in four passengers arriving from Brazil.
The new variant bears similarities to species found in the UK and South Africa, the NIID said in a statement Sunday. Information about the new variant is limited to its genetic makeup, and it is difficult to determine immediately how contagious the strain is or the effectiveness of current vaccines against it, the institute said.
In a separate statement, the Japanese Ministry of Health said the four passengers who arrived from Brazil on Jan. 2 at Japan’s Haneda airport were later diagnosed with a variant of the virus. A man in his 40s, who was asymptomatic on arrival, was hospitalized because his respiratory system was deteriorating.
The NIID has informed the World Health Organization about the new species, the newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported, adding that the institute is investigating whether the variant causes more severe cases.
(Updates with patient details in third paragraph)