Japan's death toll from the novel coronavirus has topped 3,000, with those aged 80 or over accounting for about 60% of the fatalities.
On Tuesday, 48 new deaths were confirmed, bringing the total to 3,026. The total includes the deaths of people infected aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship that docked in Yokohama Port.
It took only a month for the death toll to top the 3,000 mark after reaching 2,000 in late November. The number of deaths apparently has been increasing as the infection spreads.
The first death of an infected person in Japan was confirmed on Feb. 13. The total number of deaths surpassed the 1,000 mark 158 days later on July 20, and reached the 2,000 mark 125 days after that on Nov. 22.
With the subsequent rapid spread of the infection, the number of deaths reached the 3,000 mark in only 30 days. The daily death toll hit a record of 53 on Dec. 15, and then marked 53 again on Dec. 16.
In July and August, there were many infections among younger people, but recently the number of infections among the elderly, who are more susceptible to serious illness, has been on the rise.
Of the cases of deaths from the virus, those aged 80 or older accounted for the largest ratio at 60%, followed by those in their 70s at 26%, and those in their 60s at 9% as of Dec. 16, according to the ministry.
There has been no significant change in the death rate of infected people.
According to an analysis by The Yomiuri Shimbun, the ratio of deaths to the total number of infected people was 5% from January to May, but dropped to 1% from June to October, when treatment methods had been established to a certain level. The ratio remained at 1% in November.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
