Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases said authorities found a new strain of the coronavirus in four passengers arriving from Brazil.
The new variant has similarities with tribes occurring in the United Kingdom and South Africa, the NIID said in a statement on Sunday. The information on the new variant is limited to its genetic composition, and it is difficult to immediately determine how infected the strain is or the efficacy of current vaccines against it, the institute said.
In a separate statement, the Ministry of Health of Japan said the four passengers who arrived at Haneda Airport in Japan on January 2 were later diagnosed with a variant of the virus. One man in his 40s, who was symptomatic upon his arrival, was admitted to hospital when his respiratory system deteriorated.
The NIID has notified the World Health Organization of the new strain, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported, adding the institute is investigating whether the variant causes more serious cases.
(Updates with patient details in third paragraph)