TOKYO -- First identified in the U.K. late last year, a new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 has now been confirmed in 49 countries and regions. A separate variant first found in South Africa has been spotted in 19 countries.
Coronavirus
As coronavirus mutates, countries scramble to put up defenses
Brazil variant joins UK and South African forms confronting authorities from Asia to US
A colorized image of a cell, red, infected with the virus particles, yellow, that cause COVID-19. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH via Reuters)
Read Next
Latest on Coronavirus
