Photo/Illutration Passengers submit their questionnaires at a quarantine station at Kansai International Airport in March 2020. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

The health ministry on Dec. 16 confirmed Japan’s first Omicron variant infection of a person with no history of recent travel overseas.

The Kansai International Airport quarantine official in her 30s was likely infected with the variant when she was working at an accommodation facility for COVID-19 patients, the ministry said.

Three of the COVID-19 patients at the facility were also confirmed infected with the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus.

The worker, however, was not assigned tasks that would have put her in close contact with the COVID-19 patients, according to the ministry.

The health ministry said it will dispatch experts there to examine the situation.

Although the woman had diarrhea on Dec. 8, she went to work that day and on Dec. 9. She stayed at her home over the Dec. 10-11 weekend.

She returned to work on Dec. 12, but showed symptoms of fatigue, nausea and coughing.

A PCR test taken at a medical institution on Dec. 13 showed she had COVID-19. Genome sequencing confirmed she was infected with the Omicron variant on Dec. 16.

She is currently in stable condition at a medical institution, a ministry official said.

Her vaccination history has not been disclosed.

According to the ministry, six people in her workplace were designated as being in close contact with the woman.

They are now isolated and have shown no COVID-19 symptoms, a ministry official said.

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