Brazil variant: Expert on P1 Manaus strain's impact on vaccine

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The strain was detected in a traveller who arrived in Narita Airport near Tokyo, Japan from the Philippines on February 25. The traveller, in their 60s, was asymptomatic but tested positive whilst staying in a mandatory quarantine.

Health officials in Japan have warned the new variant is “distinct” from those previously detected in the UK, Brazil and South Africa, but poses a similar threat.

The variant is thought to be more resistant to antibodies, which give defence against COVID-19, similarly to the South African and Brazilian variants.

Officials confirmed the existence of a new variant on Friday, and said: “The strain has begun to be detected in the Philippines and has spread to some extent here”.

In response, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) has called for stricter border control measures.

NIID also stated they are observing whether they record an outbreak of the new variant in Japan.

The health ministry and NIDD also reported a total of 34 cases of the variant have been identified in central Philippines.

They first observed infections with the new variant in late January.

CNN Philippines has said the nation’s Department of Health has yet to comment on the development.

Its comes as another new coronavirus variant has been discovered in the UK, according to Public Health England (PHE).

Cases were discovered after two people in the South East returned from Antigua, in the Caribbean.

PHE said the Antigua strain, known as known as VUI-202103/01, contains “spike mutations usually associated with Variants of Concern”, but have not classified it as such yet.

Dr Muhammad Munir, a virologist at the University of Lancaster, also recently said that, when it comes to halting the coronavirus pandemic, “nobody is safe until all are safe”.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Dr Munir added: “COVID-19 is a transboundary infection which means nobody is safe until all are safe.

“With the current vaccine nationalism, developed nations are vaccinating their adults which are least impacted while ignoring elderly and vulnerable communities in developing countries.

“This attitude will only prolong the pandemic and wouldn’t help any countries as if the disease would be lingering within deep pockets of Africa and Asia, the threats would be equally hanging for the rest of the world.

“The best way forward to protect deaths, negative impact and economies are to prioritise vaccination of severely impacted communities around the world, not just in developed nations, including frontline health workers, vulnerable and elderly people.”

Yesterday saw another 5,534 cases and 121 deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test.

In total, the UK has seen 4,253,820 cases and 125,464 deaths from the virus.

As of yesterday, 23,684,103 Brits had received their first coronavirus vaccine dose and 1,532,754 had received their second.

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