First time in Japan, Omicron spreads beyond major cities
Updated:
The Japanese government has confirmed 58 Omicron infections across the country, including untraceable cases in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Aichi, and Fukuoka.
It is the first time in this prefecture that the Omicron variant has been confirmed in two individuals.
Neither patient had traveled overseas recently and was believed to have contracted the new variant through a community infection, officials said. They are in hospitals receiving treatment for mild symptoms, authorities said.
In Fukuoka, a man in his 20s has been detected with the virus but it is unclear how it was transmitted, according to governor Seitaro Hattori.
Earlier this month, Tokyo has discovered a case of community transmission of the omicron variant of the coronavirus, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said. This indicates that the virus is spreading slowly but steadily across the nation.
"One of the reported cases of omicron has no recent history of traveling abroad, and it's not known where it came from," Koike said in a news conference. "So this is a case of community transmission."
The patient, a doctor working in Tokyo, is currently hospitalized
Also last week, Kyoto Gov. Takatoshi Nishiwaki confirmed on Friday three cases of community transmission of the omicron variant, bringing the prefecture's total number of such cases to four.
Government officers are concerned the Omicron variation may want to unfold swiftly and place pressure on the scientific system. They are running with nearby officers to steady clinic beds and increase checking-out capabilities.