SAO PAULO: Brazil’s Health Ministry asked the Japanese government on Sunday to provide information on a new variant of the novel coronavirus detected in four travelers who arrived in Japan from Brazil this month.

The ministry asked for information such as the genetic sequence of the new strain, which is different from highly infectious variants first found in Britain and South Africa.

The four people arrived in Tokyo on Jan. 2 after staying in northern Brazil’s Amazonas state, according to Japan’s health ministry.

The Brazilian ministry has taken necessary preventive measures including sending cautionary notice to related domestic organizations, an official said.

It has asked the Japanese ministry about information on the travelers’ stays in Brazil in order to track their possible contact with others, the official said.

Brazil is experiencing a second wave of coronavirus infections, with a daily average of more than 50,000 people testing positive for the virus in January. In Brazil, the mutant strains of the British and South African types have been confirmed.

JIJI Press