Photo/Illutration An electron microscope image of the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus (Provided by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases)

The Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus has spread to 17 prefectures, and seven of them have confirmed community infections of the strain, according to an Asahi Shimbun tally as of 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 27.

Shizuoka, Shiga, Hiroshima and Toyama prefectures each reported their first Omicron cases that day.

Hiroshima and Toyama also joined Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka and Aichi on the list of prefectures that have confirmed community transmissions of the variant, meaning the patients have not traveled abroad and their infection routes remain unknown, according to the tally.

A twentysomething resident of Hiroshima city complained of a fever and other symptoms on Dec. 22 and was confirmed infected with the variant on Dec. 26 through a PCR test and genome sequencing, the Hiroshima prefectural government said.

An official said the patient had received two shots of a COVID-19 vaccine and has traveled to the Kansai region. The patient is hospitalized in Hiroshima Prefecture with mild symptoms.

Toyama Prefecture said a resident in her 20s who was confirmed infected with the variant through community transmission visited an area outside the prefecture where a community spread of Omicron was reported.

The woman had been administered two COVID-19 vaccine jabs and has mild symptoms.

Kyoto Prefecture reported four new cases of the variant on Dec. 27.

Three of them are women in their 20s to 50s who live in the same town and had all received their second vaccine shots in September. They were admitted to a hospital after testing positive on Dec. 24.

The other patient is a Kyotanabe resident in her 70s who had received her second vaccine jab in June.

All four patients have mild symptoms, according to a Kyoto prefectural government official.

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