Japan's daily COVID cases top 110,000 for 1st time

[Mary Wilson]

4 hours ago - 22:21

KYODO NEWS

Japan's daily COVID-19 cases on Saturday topped 110,000 to set a new record as the country grapples with a seventh wave of coronavirus infections partly driven by the highly transmissible BA.5 Omicron subvariant.

The previous record was around 104,000 infections, set on Feb. 3 during the sixth wave of the virus. While infections were on a steady decline since then, a resurgence has been seen from late June.

On Friday, the government's response headquarters decided on key prevention measures including calling on people to get vaccinated and tested, and to ventilate spaces.

... A total of 114 people are currently experiencing serious COVID-19 symptoms, up by seven from Friday, according to the health ministry.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2...cord-high.html

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...hter-measures/

As COVID wave grows, Japan beefs up response but won't limit business activities
by Tomoko Otake, Kanako Takahara and Will Fee
Jul 22, 2022

As Japan desperately seeks to slow the spread of the coronavirus and ease the growing strain on the nation’s medical system, the government is enacting its strongest anti-virus measures in months. But for now, the government is not returning to measures that would limit people's movements or negatively impact business activities.

With the seventh wave of coronavirus infections reaching unprecedented heights, the government is beefing up the number of hospital beds available and expanding the scope of those eligible for fourth vaccine shots. At the same time, the government is shortening the self-quarantine periods for close contacts of those infected to limit the impact on economic activities.

Furthermore, to ease the burdens on clinics that accept COVID-19 patients, which are struggling to keep up with demand, the government will start distributing antigen test kits to them. A person who suspects they may have COVID-19 can pick up a test kit, use it themselves at home and have the results registered through special health centers set up by municipalities.

After a lull in new cases in the spring, the nation has seen a quick resurgence in COVID-19 infections over the past couple of weeks, driven by the highly contagious BA.5 omicron subvariant.

On Thursday, 186,209 new cases were reported across the country, a new record and dramatically up from the 97,768 logged a week earlier. All 47 prefectures logged week-on-week increases in new cases through Wednesday, with some prefectures seeing their numbers more than double. And the upsurge is expected to continue for weeks in many parts of the country as the summer school break begins and many people take vacation...

[Mary Wilson]

COVID-19 cases in Japan top 200,000 for first time

July 23, 2022
crofsblogs

The surge in Japanese COVID cases has been sudden and alarming. Via The Japan Times: COVID-19 cases in Japan top 200,000 for first time.

Excerpt:
Japan reported more than 200,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time Saturday, shattering the daily record for the fourth straight day with 200,954 infections amid a seventh wave of infections driven by the BA.5 omicron subvariant.

Single-day record caseloads were reported in 17 of the country's 47 prefectures, including Tokyo, which posted a daily figure above 30,000 for the third day in a row.

https://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/...irst-time.html