Health authorities in Japan are on high alert as COVID-19 cases posted a 39% week-on-week surge across the country between July 1 and 7, driven by the highly transmissible KP.3 variant. Okinawa prefecture is the hardest hit, with hospitals reporting an average of nearly 30 infections per day.⁠ ⁠ The KP.3 variant, a descendant of the Omicron lineage, is known for its ability to evade immunity, infecting even those who are vaccinated or have previously recovered from COVID-19. Common symptoms of KP.3 infection include high fever, sore throat, loss of smell and taste, headaches and fatigue. Accounting for 90% of new cases, the variant has raised concerns about hospital capacity and the potential impact on essential services.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ 🤳Click our linkinbio to sign up to our daily newsletter.⁠ ⁠ 📰Follow us for the latest Asian News NextShark⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #news #covidvariant #japan #covidsurge