Japan Confirms COVID-19 Variant Infections... New Cases Also Set Record High

On the 26th, Japanese citizens wearing masks are walking through the streets of Tokyo.
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] Cases of infection with new variants of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which are gradually spreading in the UK and other countries, are being confirmed one after another in Japan.

Kyodo News, citing Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, reported on the 26th that a man in his 30s who had stayed in the UK and a woman in her 20s, his family member, were infected with the COVID-19 variant virus.

The man in his 30s is an aircraft captain who returned from the UK on the 16th. However, the woman in her 20s, who was in close contact with the man, has no history of staying in the UK. This woman is the first COVID-19 variant virus infection case in Japan without a history of staying in the UK. Both are currently hospitalized in medical institutions within Tokyo.

With this, the number of COVID-19 variant virus infections in Japan has increased to seven, including five announced by Japan's Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Norihisa Tamura the previous night. The five previously confirmed variant virus infections returned home through Haneda Airport (2 people) and Kansai Airport (3 people) between the 18th and 21st, and tested positive in airport COVID-19 tests. Analysis of their specimens by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases of Japan confirmed infection with the COVID-19 variant virus.

The COVID-19 variant virus, which first appeared in late September in the southeast of England, UK, is known to be much more transmissible than the existing virus. Currently, cases of COVID-19 variant virus infections have also been reported in the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Ireland, Singapore, Australia, Germany, and other countries.

Meanwhile, Japan's daily new COVID-19 cases have broken the daily record for the fourth consecutive day. According to NHK's tally, as of 6:20 p.m. on that day, 3,849 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed nationwide in Japan. Recently, Japan's daily COVID-19 cases have been increasing day by day, with 3,270 on the 23rd, 3,740 on the 24th, and 3,831 the previous day.