Japan confirms 8 more cases of new coronavirus variant
ABC News
Health officials in Japan have confirmed eight more cases of the new omicron variant of the coronavirus, bringing the country’s total to 12
TOKYO -- Health officials in Japan have confirmed eight more cases of the new omicron variant of the coronavirus, bringing the country's total to 12, the government said Friday.
The eight tested positive for the virus when they arrived at Japanese airports from late November to earlier this month, the health ministry said in a statement.
Two of them, a woman in her 30s and a boy, arrived from Namibia on Nov. 28 on the same flight as a Namibian diplomat who was Japan's first confirmed case of the omicron variant, Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara said.
Japan eased border controls last month as it gradually expanded social and economic activities, but has since restored a ban on foreign entrants and limited daily arrivals to 3,500 people. The transport ministry briefly asked international airlines to stop accepting new bookings on flights to Japan, but withdrew the measure after facing criticism that it was too strict.
