TOKYO, Jul 8 (NNN-NHK) – The Japanese government said yesterday that, the number of COVID-19 cases was continuing to rise, with the spike in figures coming at the same time as a number of coronavirus rules and restrictions have recently been eased.
Yesterday, the nationwide daily tally of new COVID-19 cases hit 47,977 as of 7:30 p.m. local time. This compares to 45,000 daily new infections reported across the country a day earlier.
As for the capital, a barometer of the future direction of COVID-19 cases in Japan, the Tokyo metropolitan government reported 8,529 new cases yesterday, compared to 8,341 infections reported on Wednesday.
Yesterday’s figure in the capital also marked an increase of more than 4,900 from a week ago.
The figure, the local government noted, marked the 20th straight day of week-on-week increase and the third straight day that the daily tally more than doubled from a week earlier.
As for those hospitalised by the COVID-19 virus, the local government said, the seriously ill patients requiring breathing apparatus, such as ventilators or ECMO heart-lung machines, totalled six yesterday, down by two from a day earlier.
Following Tokyo, Osaka reported 4,615 new cases, while Tokyo’s neighbouring Kanagawa Prefecture, there were 3,130 new infections. There were 2,712 new cases in Aichi Prefecture, its local government said, while the figure for another of Tokyo’s neighbours Saitama Prefecture, stood at 2,434 yesterday.
The cumulative number of people confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19 in Japan is 9,551,285, including those in airport quarantine and passengers and crew on cruise ships.
Death toll from the pandemic rose by 15 yesterday, to a total of 31,379, in the whole country.
As the COVID-19 figures rise nationwide, Japan is moving towards fully opening up its borders to overseas visitors, having maintained the strictest border controls among the Group of Seven (G7) members, for the longest time.
In addition, amid a searing heatwave, the Japanese government advised people not to wear masks when outside, as long as social distancing measures are adhered to.– NNN-NHK
