According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, 18 people who have been tested positive for the new coronavirus at domestic quarantine stations since December last year have been designated as "Eta strains" by the World Health Organization as "notable mutant strains". It was revealed that he was infected with.
This is the first time that an infection has been found in Japan.
The "Eta strain" was first confirmed in the United Kingdom in December last year, and WHO designated it as a "VOI = notable mutant strain" in March, which may affect infectivity and vaccine efficacy. Did.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has conducted a genetic analysis of samples of people who arrived in Japan between December and September 3 last year and tested positive for quarantine at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. Announced that it was infected with the eta strain.
This is the first time that an Eta strain has been found to be infected in Japan.
According to the website that registers the gene sequence of the new coronavirus, the Eta strain has been reported to be infected in more than 70 countries, mainly in Europe and the United States.
There are five types of mutant strains that should be noted, including the "Lambda strain", which has spread mainly in South America, the "Mu strain" reported in South America and Europe, and the "Kappa strain" found in India. It has been designated and is being monitored by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.