TOKYO, Aug 8 (NNN-NHK) – Japan’s daily COVID-19 infections hit a record high of 15,753 yesterday, for the fourth consecutive day, while the number of people hospitalised in Tokyo also reached a fresh high, local media reported.
Tokyo, hosting the Olympics while under a state of emergency, reported 4,566 daily COVID-19 cases yesterday, exceeding 4,000 cases for the fourth straight day.
Strains are growing over hospitals in Tokyo, as the number of inpatients hit 3,485, which surpassed the record of 3,427 in early Jan.
The latest figures are released a day after Japan’s cumulative total of confirmed COVID-19 cases topped one million.
The turning point of the pandemic seems yet to come, amid the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. Concerns are growing over a potential collapse of the medical system and further spread of the Delta variant, during the Bon holiday period, since people usually return to their hometowns or travel elsewhere during this period.
To curb the resurgence of the COVID-19 infections, the Olympics were mostly held without spectators. The state of emergency for Tokyo will not end, when the Paralympics are scheduled to begin on Aug 24.
The Japanese government recently expanded the state of emergency and also decided to put more prefectures under a quasi-state of emergency.– NNN-NHK
