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Nearly 400 infected with new coronavirus variant found in Japan

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Time for another round of Go To Travel, then.

35 ( +37 / -2 )

Those variants have been identified in many places around the world. We better stop calling them "British" "South African" or "Brazilian." We have never labelled the original covid 19 as Wuhan communist cover-up bioterrorism, even though it may be more relevant.

5 ( +25 / -20 )

This just goes to show that even the precautions they have taken, requiring a PCR test 72 hours before flying to Japan, and another PCR test when arriving is not precaution enough. They also need to have a stricter quarantine system when people return. Two full weeks in a hotel or some place, separated from the local community.

9 ( +15 / -6 )

Originally, it was called Wuhan virus before they really make an official name. It was said China pressured to have its name off. But we used other countries name for variants. Is the last one the Japan variant, or Japan does not want to have its name associated with the virus ?

14 ( +16 / -2 )

The new viral strain is thought to have come from overseas

It seems there is no evidence yet.

It might come from Tottori.....

17 ( +20 / -3 )

It is suspected that the commonality may cause more reinfection and that current vaccines may be less effective against it.

Oh?

7 ( +7 / -0 )

There was talk about a Tokyo strain weeks ago. Is that the same one or is it yet ANOTHER strain unique to Japan?

Those variants have been identified in many places around the world. We better stop calling them "British" "South African" or "Brazilian." We have never labelled the original covid 19 as Wuhan communist cover-up bioterrorism, even though it may be more relevant.

ABSOLUTELY!

Covid 19 should have been named the Wuhan virus anyway. After all, what did they name the virus that originated in Saudi Arabia? MERS! MIDDLE EAST RESPITORY SYNDROME. Even though only a small part of the middle east was affected by it.

8 ( +14 / -6 )

"We do not think that this variant is becoming more mainstream, but will continue to strive to gain understanding of the situation,"

Do not worry, testing an average of 4 - 5 thousand a day in Tokyo no variant will have the chance to become mainstream.

The new viral strain is thought to have come from overseas but details are still unknown, he said.

Naturally the idea of this new strain being the “japanese” strain is off the table, after all Japan is immune to the virus and “all bad things come from foreign countries”.

The non stop propaganda.

10 ( +15 / -5 )

It's ironic you've gotta call the virus Covid19 so not to sound racist but the variants we call them British, Brazil and South African ones.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

If Japan would stop procrastinating with the vaccine (must test on Japanese only, not enough syringes, meetings for the sake of meetings, no agreement on a vaccination passport), they could get a handle on this before it explodes.

And on this site you have someone somewhat well steeped in epidemiology (virusrex) and people down vote him when he comments. Why is that?

6 ( +12 / -6 )

LOL, I guess you don't the new variant came from the UK. But if a new variant does emerge in Japan, then it should be call a Japan variant. There are many diseases that came from Japan. For example: Japanese encephalitis, minamata disease. Japan has no problem with those names, because those diseases came from Japan and that is the medical norm to name diseases after the place where it was first found.

That is mistaken, the current scientific and medical norm is NOT to include the name of people nor places in the denomination of pathogens and diseases because it is not descriptive so it is not useful, Japanese encephalitis for example was only first described in Japan, but it is not originated from Japan (it has existed in Asia from prehistoric times ). Using names of countries or people is an archaism that is actively being discouraged.

Also coming from overseas do not mean automatically brought by foreigners, there are plenty of documented cases of national Japanese that have returned to the country carrying the infection. Banning foreigners while letting thousands of Japanese to return without proper testing and quarantine would be useless to import strains from overseas.

13 ( +21 / -8 )

God help us, as we are dealing with a Menace, with NO end in sight.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Of course there is no Japanese variant. There never can be at least till after the Olympics. Imagine what it will do to the Olympic dream if Japan is on countries redlists like SA and UK and people are not allowed to travel there or return from there whatever..

So for now till the end of the Olympics, there are only foreign variants that haven’t gained hold in Japan anyhow. Unless of course a new wave in Japan overwhelms the low testing and forces changes to the story.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

"We do not think that this variant is becoming more mainstream, but will continue to strive to gain understanding of the situation," said Tomoya Saito, head of the institute's Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response.

It's like hearing last year's news. Everything is fine, nothing to see here!

HimariYamadaToday 08:58 am JST

and that is the medical norm to name diseases after the place where it was first found

You're absolutely wrong. What you're talking about is a "user friendly name". Not scientifical or medical norm.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

"The new viral strain is thought to have come from overseas..."

Of course, Covid-19 itself came from China, so by definition the virus came from "overseas", specifically Wuhan, hence the original name was Wuhan Flu.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

HimariYamadaToday 08:46 am JST

"Time for another round of Go To Travel, then."

or simply ban foreigners coming to Japan, since it was foreigners that brought covid 19s and its variants to Japan

For the variants, it is known that in December some Japanese coming back from UK did break the quarantine rule to have a diner and spread the variant.

LOL, I guess you don't the new variant came from the UK. But if a new variant does emerge in Japan, then it should be call a Japan variant. Japan has no problem with those names, because those diseases came from Japan and that is the medical norm to name diseases after the place where it was first found.

Japanese people won't have any problem, but the government will.

The government did start to strengthen border entry measures for people coming from the UK, South Africa and Brazil, because of variants from those countries. I believe that with a Japan variant, measures will be strengthened in the opposite wayagainst people coming from Japan and the government won't like that, but will have no other way to accept it.

Remember last year in February, when Japan was at that time the second most infected country behind China, some countries did start to ban entry of Japanese residents.

The Ministry of Foreign affairs, Motegi, did start to campain, saying that the situation in japan wass good and those countries, which were mostly Pacific islands at that time, were wrong. He tried to give a good portray.

We know what happened.

For example: Western Stupidity disease.

I am quite confident you will loose at a QI test.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

This is exactly why I say "cancel the Tokyo Olympics".

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Extremely interesting how when everything is improving suddenly there is a new kind of virus.....Suddenly a new variant.  In every country worldwide on a daily basis it is becoming more and more obvious that this COVID-19 was man made or a fraud/hoax which was orchestrated by various world governments to cause fear mongering, control citizens, make citizens live in fear and to take away freedoms and our souls. This COVID-19 also seems like a money making scheme. Various individuals including but not limited to various world governments, pharmaceutical companies and other high stakes players are making a fortune out of this whole “COVID-19 “ and now this Vaccine. Just like various Wars in history someone is making a fortune.

This is extremely sad because many are losing their businesses, jobs and now many if not all cannot see family.

Someone says limit your business hours or shut down your business, do not leave your home, you have to disclose extremely sensitive information like medical records and/or l you have to disclose your travel destinations the answer would be no and these are extremely invasive measures. All someone has to say is “COVID-19” as well as utilizing other fear mongering strategies and then everyone complies.             This is extremely interesting how with COVID-19 the numbers are high then when individuals restrict themselves the numbers go down. Now when the situation improves and everyone goes back to living their regular lives suddenly the COVID-19 numbers go back up. Extremely interesting. It is also extremely interesting how this “COVID-19 “ is also in North Korea and Antarctica. What is dangerous is the following:

A. Losing Ones Job;

B. Losing Ones Livelihood;

C. Extreme Hysteria;

D. Communal Hostility;

E. Extreme Isolation; 

F. Losing Hope;

G. Losing Soul;

H. Losing Freedoms;

I. Loss of community friendliness; and 

I. Mental Health Stress.  

This whole situation has caused the above factors. We should not have to feel lucky to have a job or those other things. 

This is extremely sad because many are losing their businesses, jobs and now many if not all cannot see family.  Certainly seems like no accident and that this COVID-19 was man made and or a fraud/hoax committed by various world governments and pharmaceutical companies for money, fear mongering control,etc. 

The only one who can truly save us is God.

-12 ( +7 / -19 )

it is more likely the virus mutation happened in Japan.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Difficult to speculate where those variants always really come from. The genome, or no, as it’s less, the mRNA-string of those viruses is not so indefinitely long and the part responsible for the spikes even much shorter, so they develop similar or equal mutations randomly and simultaneously wherever they are. And there are really many of them, although they still all would fit into one single Cola can, some cool scientist has calculated...lol

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Naturally the idea of this new strain being the “japanese” strain is off the table, after all Japan is immune to the virus and “all bad things come from foreign countries”.

Aargh, but we can't acknowledge that the virus mutates in Japan too. They already have their UK strain, their South African strain, their Brazilian strain. OMG, the world is going to want to call this one the Japanese strain! But the Olympics! Panic stations, damage control, get Dentsu on the line!

"Help! This is the worst possible time. We're trying to get out from under our SoE, start the torch relay (lock your doors, everyone), welcome forrin guests of corporate sponsors, while excluding every other Johnny foreigner, don't Go To Get Test, but Go To Eat again, Go To Travel again, announce the next meeting about the plan for the next vaccination drill. And then this! Whaddawe do? The world's eyes are on us!"

"Don't worry, I don't think most of the world is even looking your way; think they're trying to deal with a pandemic. You know, vaccinate their populations, test everyone, salvage their economies, stuff like that ... Come to think of it, you could just make a mascot for the damn thing, call it Omotenashi-kun. Give it huge eyes on the end of every spike, dress it up in a sailor suit, perhaps ..."

"... What's that? The virus strain?.... No, of course they won't call it the Japanese strain... What?... Already in media stories around the world ...? ... Mmkay, so let's think of another name and we can put that out ... Something ... positive, heartwarming, globish sounding ... I HAVE IT! We can call it the Olympic strain!"

8 ( +8 / -0 )

The new viral strain is thought to have come from overseas but details are still unknown,

Here we (re-)go again.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

In every country worldwide on a daily basis it is becoming more and more obvious that this COVID-19 was man made or a fraud/hoax which was orchestrated by various world governments 

The opposite, this is a natural disaster (complicated by a terribly management at the beginning) that has happened countless times before and will happen again in the future if we don't take proper care.

The rest of your imaginary conspiracy runs contrary to the evidence collected every day. Measures to limit the impact of the pandemic in public health have demonstrated efficacy not matter how you want to misinterpret them, so they are perfectly justified

This is extremely interesting how with COVID-19 the numbers are high then when individuals restrict themselves the numbers go down. Now when the situation improves and everyone goes back to living their regular lives suddenly the COVID-19 numbers go back up.

This is the opposite of interesting, it is exactly what is expected and the reason why the measures are used. Do you also get surprised when people lose weight when improving their diet but gain it again when they eat empty calories?

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Evidence that many of the lockdown and travel restrictions are not entirely effective. and that we are now dealing with an endemic virus that will mutate and flare up year over year. Until we accept that fact we will continue to suffer under the misconception that there is an end in sight.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Garthgoyle

It's ironic you've gotta call the virus Covid19 so not to sound racist but the variants we call them British, Brazil and South African ones.

Not different from Hollywood censoring their movies and the NBA censoring their T-shirts when the CCP demands so. Pretty easy to get what you want when you everybody is on your payroll.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Just call it "The Japanese Strain" already. No-one is coming over for the olympics anymore,

so what does it even matter?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

I hope nobody has been treated in Japan with Gilead's Remdesivir, a known mutagen that increases the creation of coronavirus variants.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

I hope nobody has been treated in Japan with Gilead's Remdesivir, a known mutagen that increases the creation of coronavirus variants.

That is a baseless affirmation, the new variants have been associated with infection in patients with immune problems, that prolong the infection time and increase the probability of appearance of escape mutants,

No treatment has been associated with the appearance of new variants, much less confirmed.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

This will be the real second wave.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

the new variants have been associated with infection in patients with immune problems

...that have been treated with Remdesivir. There is at least one well documented case of such a patient having undergone 5 treatments with Remdesivir. The patient ended up dying, as Remdesivir doesn't even work, but it resulted in several variants.

I can't figure out why you continue to deny that giving an infected patient a known mutagen will increase the appearance of mutants (AKA variants). Are you funded by Gilead?

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

We need emojis on this site for commenting. In this comment i would use nothing but "duh", a sarcastic "shocker......" or a just plain "no sh*t" emoji to convey my opinion here.

That's what happens when the government enforces none of its "rules" on covid.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

that have been treated with Remdesivir.

No, that is not been reported, put a reference, unless it is the same as the supposed super effective treatment of COVID that have a 1/1000 lethality rate but that has absolutely no reference to prove it. That is not valid.

Every patient have dozens of variants, that is what RNA viruses do, but the important part is those that have mutations that allow for adaptation to immunity, that has not been correlated with any treatment.

I can deny it because you have produced any reference, only your personal belief. RNA virus mutate, with or without any added factor, but adaptation depends much more on widespread contagion and longer infection times that depend on immunologic problems.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

So if it's not exactly the same, then it should be called the Japanese variant. I smell hesitancy again. No athlete is going to want to come from outside Japan.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I already posted the peer-reviewed reference of the immunocompromised patient that received Remdesivir for 5 days. It is not the first time we discuss this issue.

And I believe that Japan has unfortunately approved Remdesivir...

I can't see how anyone could seriously say that mutagens do not cause mutations. Mutations do occur spontaneously without them, but adding a mutagen will increase the mutation rate. Researchers have done this for many decades on many different organisms, it's nothing new.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

I already posted the peer-reviewed reference of the immunocompromised patient that received Remdesivir for 5 days. It is not the first time we discuss this issue.

What you failed to produce is the reference that prove what you said, which is that it promotes the appearance of variants that escape immunity, that has not been reported anywhere in the world, so your conclusion is still based only on not understanding your own reference and making an invalid conclusion. The same as the place with an impossible recovery rate you keep repeating without ever providing any proof.

And again, your strawman is irrelevant, RNA virus mutates without any help from any mutagen, but to develop resistance from immunity the factor that has been correlated is a compromised immunity that lets this mutation continue for much longer time and give opportunity for the adaptation to appear, this has never been demonstrated for any treatment used.

So, can you provide a reference where a researcher have proved that any treatment promotes the appearance of (specificially) escape mutants or not? You still have pending the reference for 0.1% death rates treatment so they keep accumulating.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

@virusrex,

You continue to mix the mutation rate and the selection pressure, there is no need to do that. If you add a mutagen, you will get more mutants. The selection pressure is separate.

Regarding the low death rate from Covid19, I am so glad you asked! Just this morning I watched Raoult's most recent update after having treated several thousand patients. He describes his results and compares them to the overall rate in France and he looks at the death rates world wide and its correlation with the use of HCQ.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsoZCwpdhT8 (it's in French)

He mentioned that two manuscripts are currently in preparation, so you'll have to wait to see this in writing. But considering you often provide sources like buzzfeed and foxnews, you shouldn't complain about my using youtube as a source.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

You continue to mix the mutation rate and the selection pressure, there is no need to do that. If you add a mutagen, you will get more mutants. The selection pressure is separate.

That is not a reference, that is still your misunderstanding of the literature, You said it was proved that it increased the appearance of escape mutants according to a reference, if you cannot produce it and only base your comment in your own musings that is not proof of anything but that you could not understand it. Again, produce the reference that any treatment causes the appearance of variants that escape immunity or accept this is not true.

He mentioned that two manuscripts are currently in preparation, so you'll have to wait to see this in writing.

Using news sites to report that Raoult is no longer a respected figure in science is very different from using youtube as a scientific source. If it is easy to prove he is in the middle of a scientific malpractice scandal and that the scientific community of France heavily criticize him for his unethical manipulations then news sites are the source that can prove it.

On the other hand to prove that someone obtains results completely different from every other place on the planet it is necessary valid scientific information, and with the precedent of the proven invalid manipulations that Raoult has done to get "good" results it is very important to see if he is not doing them again. After all anybody would get 100% cure rates by rejecting patients likely to complicate, counting as cured patients that were never infected in the first place and "forgetting" to follow up treated patients when they die or get into the ICU as he did before.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

You said it was proved that it increased the appearance of escape mutants according to a reference,

No, I said mutagens cause an increase in mutations, that is fact. Gilead's Remdesivir is a mutagen, and it's not even effective at treating Covid19. It should not be used to treat Covid19, especially if we are concerned with variants. Unfortunately, I believe Japan has approved it.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

No, I said mutagens cause an increase in mutations, that is fact. Gilead's Remdesivir is a mutagen,

Good to see you no longer try to defend the mistaken conclusion that Remdesivir represents a higher risk for the appearance of variants that can escape immunity, recognizing there is no scientifc argument that suggest it was not that hard, rigth?

On the other hand immunocompromise has been directly correlated with the appearance of the variants that escape immunity, something that is expected from decades of studies.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2021/03/03/science.abg3055

Deletion ∆H69/∆V70 in spike has arisen in multiple independent lineages of SARS-CoV-2, is linked to immune escape in immunocompromised patients, and enhances viral infectivity in vitro

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-01-south-africa-coronavirus-variant.html

"the variant may have come "from immunocompromised patients, whose immune system has a harder time suppressing infections. The virus replicates many more times in these patients and... that's how such a case of escape (to another human) can happen,"

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-most-worrying-mutations-in-five-emerging-coronavirus-variants/

B.1.1.7 does stand out because it accumulated so many mutations, apparently all at once. Lauring and others suspect that these mutations may have arisen within one immunocompromised patient who was infected for a long time because that person was unable to fight off the virus.

It should not be used to treat Covid19, especially if we are concerned with variants

And why is that? what mutations in the RdRP make it specially concerning compared with the classic strains? do you have a reference that indicate this? or is it again just speculation without scientific basis?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

No, I said mutagens cause an increase in mutations, that is fact. Gilead's Remdesivir is a mutagen,

Good to see you no longer try to defend the mistaken conclusion that Remdesivir represents a higher risk for the appearance of variants that can escape immunity, recognizing there is no scientifc argument that suggest it was not that hard, rigth?

My views have not changed regarding mutagens increasing the mutation rate. There is nothing you have written that disproves this. I am always amazed at the mental gymnastics you need to go through to appear to be correct. I am also amazed at how strongly you defend Gilead!

That one example of immunocompromised patients that I previously brought up underwent several multiday treatments with Remdesivir, so I am not at all surprised that there is a correlation between appearance of variants and immunocompromised patients. I wouldn't be surprised if they were all treated with that ineffective drug.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

My views have not changed regarding mutagens increasing the mutation rate.

Did I say your views changed about the mutation rate? that is a non-sequitur.

Its like saying that penicillin weakens the bacteria walls, and that makes the bacteria more infectious. The first part is correct, and it is very easy to prove it, but the second part is simply false and that is what you failed to prove with a reference.

No need to any mental gymnastics, just correctly understand where your beliefs are not sustained by evidence. No need to "defend" anything, just correct where you make a logical leap and reach unjustified conclusions because of lack of experience with the topic.

You have never brought any example where the doctors or scientists speculated that Remdesivir had any role in the appearance of escape mutants that was 100% your speculation. I on the other hand just brought many references where the professionals actually linked immunocompromise to the new variants without any treatment ever being even considered important for this.

Your speculation about the treatment those patients may have been subjected to are also irrelevant, it would be like someone saying "I would not be surprised if they were all treated with the completely inefficient HCQ and that is why the variants appeared" both would be just imaginary scenarios.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

You have never brought any example where the doctors or scientists speculated that Remdesivir had any role in the appearance of escape mutants that was 100% your speculation.

The highly respected Didier Raoult says so. And he also said it has been known for at least 3 years that Remdesivir increases the appearance of variants (in other coronaviruses, as well as Ebola).

https://www.mediterranee-infection.com/remdesivir-et-apparition-de-variants/

Also, having used mutagens myself for decades to create variants (bacterial), if I wanted to extend this pandemic I would have done exactly what they have done to some immunocompromised patients. Give the patients several multiday treatments with a mutagen (i.e. Remdesivir) to increase the mutation rate and follow it up with a convalescent plasma treatment to select for the SARSCoV-2 variants that would evade the immune systems of previously infected people. WTF were they thinking?!!!!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

The highly respected Didier Raoult says so. And he also said it has been known for at least 3 years that Remdesivir increases the appearance of variants (in other coronaviruses, as well as Ebola).

1.- as previously demonstrated he is no longer highly respected but the opposite. Scientific malpractice and unethical studies tend to do that with the reputation of people.

2.- in science it is not important who say anything but what evidence is used to prove it. There is no evidence that even hints at this possibility being real, much less prove it. (as sure as you have been unable to produce this evidence)

3.- the appearance of variants is a natural process for all RNA viruses, in every infected patients dozens of variants can be identified with ease, there is no need for any mutagens to find them.

4.- any antiviral compound by definition decrease the appearance of escape variants (since the selection acts against this) by increasing the number of unfit variants and unviable RNA products, saying the opposite requires (again) scientific evidence.

4.- If you want to use your supposed experience as an appeal to authority you need to reference to it. You may have been using things wrong for decades for all we know, or not even understand the mechanism of escape mutants production. Do you have such references?

Your imaginary process of production is both inefficient and unsubstantiated by any real reference, a production process would not need any mutagen, nor convalescent patient sera, not even an infected patient, in fact using any of them would decrease the possibility of getting those supposed variants. This highly deficient protocol would indicate a lack of knowledge of even elementary molecular biology processes, so it would be clear it is impossible that you could ever produce references of your supposed work.

So no, you have still not produced the indispensable references to prove this imaginary effect of any antiviral drug actually happened, or that it is even likely.

You can go back and read the references that I brought for the real implicated mechanism, science magazine would be a good place to begin.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

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