Expert: New strain of coronavirus found in Japan is also likely present in U.S.

A new variation of the coronavirus discovered in Japan is “very likely already in the U.S.” as well, according to Davey Smith, director of infectious diseases at the University of California, San Diego.

Japanese health officials said Sunday that the variant, known as B.1.1.248, appears to have been brought into their country by four travelers from Brazil.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the new strain will make it more difficult to immunize people against COVID-19.

“We know very little about the pathogenesis of this variant or the B.1.1.7 variant (discovered in England), or their ability to respond to the current therapies, but they do seem to be more transmissable, but even that is based on circumstantial evidence,” Smith told the Union-Tribune.

“The B.1.1.7 variant looks to still be susceptible to immune responses elicited by the Moderna vaccine (and thus likely the Pfizer one too), but this B.1.1.248 variant has yet to be tested.”

In late December, the variant found in England was discovered to also exist in Florida and other parts of the U.S. The strain has complicated the fight against COVID-19 because it is highly infectious.