A man who arrived in Japan from the Philippines in February was infected with a new variant of the new coronavirus, the health ministry said on Friday in the first confirmation of the case.
The variant is different from the first discoveries in Britain, South Africa and Brazil, and is believed to pose a similar threat. The Philippine variant may be more resistant to neutralizing antibodies, including those acquired by vaccination, as the South African and Brazilian variants appear to be.
According to the health ministry, the 60-year-old man arrived at Narita airport, near Tokyo, on February 25 and was asymptomatic.
He tested positive after being quarantined at the airport and is being treated at a designated facility.
The National Institute of Infectious Diseases is calling for stronger border control measures as part of efforts to stem the spread of the virus and is looking to see if the Philippine variant is spreading in Japan.
According to the ministry and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, infections with the variant in question have been detected in the central part of the Philippines since the end of January. So far, 34 cases have been confirmed in the country.
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