More than 200 new coronavirus cases were reported in a single day by the Tokyo metropolitan government again. However, the situation has changed compared to when medical institutions were "on the verge of collapse" because of the large number of patients coming in for treatment in mid-April, according to a senior Tokyo government official.
One example is more PCR tests for the coronavirus are being conducted. The number of PCR tests that are being performed per day in Tokyo has increased to 3,000, compared to about 1,000 tests per day in early April. Of those who have been infected with the virus since the beginning of July, 148 people, or 14%, are asymptomatic and do not require hospitalization. Also, the number of severely ill patients and the number of deaths from the virus continue to go down. There were six severely ill patients on Thursday, significantly lower than the 105 at the end of April.
Even so, we need to stay alert. Measures to avoid the "three C's" -- close spaces, crowded places and close-contact environments -- might be more neglected now than in April. Looking at the United States and other countries, the coronavirus does not appear to be an infectious disease that is more likely to occur in autumn and winter. Each person should take thorough precautions to prevent the virus from spreading.
On the other hand, clubs and bars are one of the major sources of the surge in coronavirus infections in Tokyo. The areas where the infections occurred and the number of people infected among other things regarding these facilities have been disclosed by the Tokyo metropolitan government. However, certain information such as specific situations of how the virus was spread and whether or not the facilities took measures to prevent the infection from spreading, has not been provided. To prevent more infections from occurring and to not escalate concerns, the government needs to proactively disclose information.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
