[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The Japanese government is analyzing whether a new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, has infected a Japanese national who tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving from Namibia, South Africa.
Namibia is one of the eight South African countries where many nations have imposed entry bans to prevent the spread of Omicron.
According to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on the 29th, a man in his 30s who arrived at Narita Airport from Namibia the previous night was confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 during entry screening.
Japanese authorities have requested analysis from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases to determine whether the man, who showed fever symptoms, is infected with Omicron.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that he received a report indicating that analyzing the virus would take four to five days.
The two family members accompanying the man all tested negative and were quarantined at designated facilities.
The Japanese government has banned foreign nationals from entering from nine South African countries, including South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia, starting from the 28th, and requires Japanese nationals returning from these countries to quarantine for 10 days at facilities designated by quarantine stations.
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