As reports of more contagious strains of the novel coronavirus continue to emerge on a daily basis worldwide, at least 73 countries are tightening their border control measures for travelers from Japan, where cases of the mutated virus have been detected.
In addition, a total of 140 nations have imposed additional precautionary measures restricting movement, such as mandatory quarantines, which affect travelers from Japan, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
So far, Japan has confirmed 15 cases of the new strains of the virus from travelers from Britain and South Africa. The mutation, known as the B.1.1.7 lineage, is believed to be up to 70% more transmissible than the coronavirus that has spread across the world throughout 2020.