Cases of infection with the new coronavirus exceeded 100 for two consecutive days in Tokyo. Everyone should take careful action to prevent a second wave.
Among the recently infected, those in their 20s and 30s, who are likelier to be out and about, are notable. Many of them are involved in nighttime entertainment businesses, such as host clubs where employees attend customers in close-contact settings. In some cases, a number of employees were found to have been infected at one time in a group examination.
Even if people are asymptomatic, if infection is confirmed, they will be isolated for a certain period of time, which will affect their daily life. There is also a risk of their infecting the elderly. They may spread infections to rural areas if they return home or travel. It should not be taken lightly.
Stores are also urged to follow industry guidelines and take thorough measures to prevent infection, such as disinfecting hands and preventing the spread of airborne droplets.
During the state of emergency, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests were administered on patients who had developed symptoms. Currently, people who are asymptomatic but have had close contact with infected patients are also tested. The number of people who tested positive may have increased, partly because the number of tests rose.
However, according to the Tokyo metropolitan government's indexes that can be used as yardsticks for alerting people, the number of cases in which the infection route is unknown and the number of people who are hospitalized, among other measurements, have been increasing recently. It is necessary to exercise renewed vigilance and break the chain of infection that can lead to a second wave of the disease.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike acknowledged that "the infection is spreading" in the current situation. She called on people not to go to restaurants and other places that do not have thorough measures to prevent infection.
There is a possibility that the infection will spread from downtown areas. Even when dining together, it is important to take every action, keeping in mind such things as whether the restaurant is well ventilated and whether there are too many participants.
Nighttime businesses are not the only problem. Nearly half the cases have unknown infection routes. It is essential to take firm measures to prevent infection, being aware that infection could happen anywhere and anytime.
Young people rarely become seriously ill, even if they develop symptoms. As a result, the provision of medical services is not as tight now as it was during April and May, when the spread of infections peaked. However, if the number of infected people continues to increase, the number of patients in serious condition will inevitably increase as well. Medical institutions are urged to secure beds well in advance.
Economic activity and school life are finally returning to normal after strict restrictions on behavior under the state of emergency. At present, the government is cautious about issuing another declaration, but it will have to consider doing so if the collapse of medical services appears likely to occur.
The basics of infection control, such as avoiding crowded areas, have become widely understood. It is necessary for everyone to avoid high-risk behavior and devise good ways to continue daily life while controlling infection.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on July 4, 2020.
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