The route of infection could not be determined for 55% of the novel coronavirus cases recently identified over a two-week period in Japan, The Yomiuri Shimbun has found.
The state of emergency declared to stem the spread of infections was fully lifted on May 25. The Yomiuri Shimbun analyzed 538 new cases who tested positive from May 23 through June 5 and found that the number of infections for which the route of infection could not be determined stood at 55%. Young people also accounted for a notable number of cases.
There are fears that infections may continue to increase in Tokyo nightspots, including bars and nightclubs where staff come in close contact with customers. The central and Tokyo metropolitan governments therefore plan to devise various measures, including boosting testing for the new coronavirus.
Over the two weeks through June 5, a total of 538 new cases of infections were confirmed in Tokyo, Kanagawa and 16 other prefectures, excluding those found during quarantine inspections at airports and elsewhere. Of this number, local governments could not identify the route of transmission for 296, or 55%. There is a possibility that community-acquired infections are still prevalent.
By age, people in their 20s accounted for the highest number at 108. The number rose to 237, or 44% of the total, when counting people in their 30s and younger.
Over the two weeks from April 4 through 17, when the number of new infections peaked in Japan, people in their 30s and younger accounted for 37% of the total, or 2,511 in all. Japan is therefore seeing a trend of continued increase among young people.
Rises in specific areas have also become apparent. In Tokyo, more than 10 new cases have been confirmed almost every day since May 26, the day after the state of emergency was lifted.
Taking into account the impact on local economies, the Tokyo metropolitan government lifted on June 1 its requests that movie theaters and other businesses suspend their operations. However, there were 34 newly infected cases confirmed in Tokyo the following day, prompting the capital to issue a "Tokyo Alert" indicating that the number of infections in Tokyo have passed a certain threshold.
In particular, infections among people working at bars and clubs in nightlife districts, and their customers, have been growing.
In Fukuoka Prefecture, there has been a succession of new cases since May 23, mainly in Kitakyushu, where there were 26 in that city alone on May 29. The prefectural government lifted its business suspension requests effective June 1 in the prefecture, with the exception of Kitakyushu, while calling on citizens in the city to refrain from making unnecessary, non-urgent outings.
But the central government remains cautious about once again declaring a state of emergency and aims to gradually get economic activities back on track while curbing the rise in coronavirus infections by detecting and responding to clusters early.
Economic Revitalization Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said at a press conference Sunday, "Measures related to nightlife areas are a matter of urgency, so as not to let the cases [that occur there] cause a big wave [of infections.]" He emphasized the idea of calling on business circles to swiftly draw up guidelines to curb the spread of infections.
Nishimura and Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike held talks in Tokyo on Sunday, discussing ways to deal with the businesses in nightlife areas. They reportedly agreed that people who work in nightlife areas should be asked to be regularly tested for the coronavirus, while the central and Tokyo governments move ahead with establishing counseling services for them regarding possible infection.
After the talks, Koike said: "Dealing with nightlife areas is a big task. We want to introduce measures properly."
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