Shizuoka City Hall is seen in the city of Shizuoka's Aoi Ward on Feb. 21, 2019. (Mainichi/Nobuyuki Shimada)

       SHIZUOKA -- Following the first confirmed coronavirus omicron variant case in the central Japan city of Shizuoka in Shizuoka Prefecture on Dec. 27, Mayor Nobuhiro Tanabe said at a press conference, "He (the patient) is confirmed to have had contact with foreign nationals at work, and community transmission is unlikely."

       According to the Shizuoka Municipal Government, the patient was earlier confirmed infected with the coronavirus and has mild symptoms. Genome analysis by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases revealed he was positive for the omicron variant. Two people who had had close contact with the man tested negative for the virus.

       The patient has no recent history of overseas travel, and came into contact with foreign nationals at work. The city's public health center explained that it determined the route of infection was strongly suspected to have been via contact at work.

       The man received his second coronavirus vaccine by August. He developed symptoms on Dec. 23, was tested the following day, and hospitalized on Dec. 25. He was confirmed positive for the omicron variant the next day.

       Other than the two people deemed close contacts, 12 of the 13 people involved in the same work tested negative. One still awaits their results.

       (Japanese original by Hideyuki Yamada, Shizuoka Bureau)

       Font Size S M L Print Timeline 0