[ad_1]
Japan is banning the entry of all non-resident foreign nationals as a precaution against a new and potentially more contagious variant of the coronavirus that has spread across Britain.
The Foreign Ministry says the entry ban will begin on Monday and last until January 31.
Park Min-suk / Newsis / AP
A medical worker in protective gear prepares to take samples at a coronavirus testing site in Seoul, South Korea.
Last week, Japan banned non-resident aliens from Britain and South Africa after confirming the new variant in seven people over the past two days: five from Britain who tested positive at airports and another two in Tokyo.
Japan is also suspending the exemption from a 14-day quarantine for Japanese citizens and resident foreigners in a short-follow-up program that began in November.
READ MORE:
* British variant of coronavirus continues to spread globally, despite containment efforts
* After initial success, South Korea plunges into virus crisis.
* Covid-19: UK sees record rise in daily coronavirus cases as new variant spreads
Participants must now bring proof of a negative test 72 hours prior to departure for Japan and self-isolate for two weeks after arrival.
Kyodo / AP News
People wearing face masks to help slow the spread of the coronavirus walk through the riotous intersection in Tokyo’s Shibuya shopping district.
Japan is struggling with the increase in cases since November. It has confirmed a total of 217,312 cases, including 3,213 deaths, 3,700 more than the previous 24-hour period.
Tokyo alone reported 949 cases, setting a new record, despite calls from experts and government officials for people to have a “quiet” holiday season.
In other parts of the Asia Pacific region:
- South Korea will decide on Monday (New Zealand time) whether to apply its stricter distancing rules, as cases continue to trend upward with 970 in the last 24 hours. Korea’s Disease Prevention and Control Agency says the additional cases brought the country’s total to 56,872, with 808 deaths. There were fewer tests over the weekend. Authorities are struggling to control the latest fight. Most of the cases have been found in the Seoul area in many places, including medical centers, churches, restaurants, gyms, military bases, and a prison.
Park Min-suk / AP
Medical workers wearing protective gear prepare for a coronavirus test at a coronavirus testing site in Seoul, South Korea.
- Beijing officials reported five new locally transmitted coronavirus cases as authorities rushed to mass-test residents. All five cases, linked to previous infections, lived in the city’s Shunyi district, which has since activated an emergency response plan that includes mass testing, source tracing and disinfection. More than 120,000 had been tested for the coronavirus. Authorities plan to test 800,000 people in the district. Separately, officials reported four cases of local transmission in the northeastern port city of Dalia, where more than 4.75 million people were tested following more than 20 confirmed cases this month. China reported 22 new cases in the past 24 hours, including 10 imported and 12 domestic. China has so far reported a total of 86,955 cases, with 4,634 deaths.
