Society

Variant reported in Philippines detected at Narita

Mar 13 (NHK) - A coronavirus variant reported in the Philippines has been detected in a man who arrived at Narita airport, near Tokyo, from the country.

The health ministry says the man in his 60s arrived at the airport on February 25 and tested positive at quarantine.

An examination at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases discovered the variant in the sample taken from him.

This is the first time the variant has been detected in Japan. The man has reportedly shown no symptoms of COVID-19.

The institute says the strain may be more infectious than the original one, and that it can pose the same level of threat as other variants spreading in Britain, South Africa and Brazil.

In the Philippines, there were 34 cases of infection by the variant by March 3.

The Japanese institute is calling on authorities to swiftly consider stepping up measures to prevent the strain from entering the country while monitoring the situation.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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