Alarm bells are beginning to sound in Japan due to the recent spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus, which is more transmissible than other strains and has even begun to test countries that were widely lauded for their speedy vaccine rollouts.
Delta has already been confirmed in 85 countries including Japan, according to the World Health Organization. Fear over the highly transmissible variant, which was first detected in India and is formally known as B.1.617.2, has prompted Japanese authorities to tighten quarantine restrictions for arrivals from specific countries and to consider a fresh state of emergency for Tokyo.
As cases continue to rise in the capital, the spread of the more contagious variant has also renewed concerns over an infection rebound nationwide.