An image from the transmission electron microscope shows SARS-CoV-2, also known as the new coronavirus of 2019.
TOKYO – Japan confirmed its first cases of the new coronavirus variant spreading in Britain, a government official said on Friday.
Five people tested positive for the new strain are less than 70 years old and have a history of travel to Britain, the ministry said. Four are asymptomatic.
Two of the five arrived at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, while the others landed at Kansai Airport in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan.
Last weekend, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the new variant of the coronavirus appeared to spread more easily than the previous ones and was moving rapidly across England. But Johnson emphasized that “there is no evidence to suggest that it is more lethal or causes more serious illness,” or that vaccines are less effective against it.
The United States will now require British airline passengers to do a negative COVID-19 test before the flight, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Thursday.
The United States is the last country to announce new travel restrictions because of the new variant of the coronavirus that is spreading in Britain and elsewhere.
The US requires UK passengers to pass a negative test
Britain has been under considerable pressure since news of the new virus variant was released. About 40 countries have imposed travel bans on Britain, leaving the island nation increasingly isolated.
France relaxed its coronavirus-related ban on trucks from Britain on Tuesday after a two-day stalemate that arrested thousands of drivers and heightened fears of food shortages at Christmas time in the UK
French authorities said delivery drivers can enter by ferry or tunnel, provided they provide evidence of a negative test for the virus.
But French restrictions were of particular concern, as Britain relies heavily on its trade links across the English Channel with the mainland for food at this time of year.