Japan confirms cases of new coronavirus variant
Russian emergency rescue workers dressed as Ded Morozes (Santa Claus, or Father Frost) reflect in a window of a children hospital after scaling the wall to greet children to mark the upcoming New Year celebrations, in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Dec. 25, 2020. Russia, which has so far registered more than 2.9 million confirmed cases of the virus and over 52,000 deaths in the pandemic, has been swept by a rapid resurgence of the outbreak this fall, with numbers of infections and deaths significantly exceeding those reported in the spring. Usually, performers come into children's rooms, but this year because of the virus-related restrictions, the artists had to perform outside of the hospital at a significant distance.[AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin]
Japan’s health ministry has confirmed the country’s first cases of infection with the new variant of the coronavirus that was identified in Britain.
The five people arrived between Dec. 18 and Dec. 21, before Japan stepped up border control on Friday for entrants from Britain. A man in his 60s developed fatigue, but the other four were without symptoms.
Health Minister Norihisa Tamura said the five were sent to quarantine straight from the airports.
After they tested positive for the virus, further analysis conducted at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases determined they had the British variant that is 70% more transmissible, the ministry said in a statement.
Shigeru Omi, head of a government taskforce, called for tighter border control to prevent new variants.