In the week leading up to the 2nd of this month, Chiba Prefecture investigated the virus for about 320 people infected with the new coronavirus, and as a result, nearly 60% of the viruses had the highly infectious "N501Y" mutation. We found that it increased by 19 points compared to the previous week.
In Chiba Prefecture, some people infected with the new coronavirus are inspected for the virus with the "N501Y" mutation.
According to the report, of the 322 people tested during the week from April 26th to May 2nd, 185 people had the virus with the "N501Y" mutation, accounting for 57.5%.
In the previous week's test from April 19th to 25th, the percentage of mutant virus was 38.5%, an increase of 19 points in the week.
The Chiba Prefectural Disease Control Division says, "The numbers clearly show that we are shifting to a mutant virus that is said to have strong infectivity. We will respond with a strong sense of crisis."