COVID-19 Infections Continue To Surge Across Japan - Concerns Mount For Coming Bon Festival Season
COVID-19 News - Japan Jul 30, 2023 1 year, 2 months, 4 weeks, 2 days, 19 hours, 11 minutes ago
COVID-19 News: As Japan faces the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, recent data has revealed a worrisome uptick in infections. On July 28th, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare disclosed crucial information regarding the country's COVID-19 situation during the week of July 17th to 23rd. The number of new COVID-19 cases reported from approximately 5,000 designated medical institutions across the nation amounted to a staggering 68,601, with an average of 13.91 cases per medical institution. This alarming figure represents a significant 1.26-fold increase compared to the previous week, heightening concerns among health authorities and the public alike.
https://mainichi.jp/articles/20230728/k00/00m/040/350000c
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Of particular concern is the fact that this is the second consecutive week where the number of hospitalized COVID-19 infections per medical institution has surpassed 10 cases. This pattern indicates a potential surge in transmission, calling for increased vigilance in curbing the spread of the virus. The rising infection rates have also drawn attention to three prefectures - Nagasaki, Saga, and Miyazaki - which now exhibit higher COVID-19 rates than Okinawa, a region previously recognized for its significant number of cases.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/
In light of these escalating figures, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has taken the significant step of disclosing the number of COVID-19-related deaths recorded in May 2023. This disclosure comes after the transition to the fifth category for COVID-19's legal status, which no longer includes the daily count of deaths. As per the revealed data, COVID-19 has tragically claimed the lives of 610 individuals during the mentioned month. This somber revelation highlights the continuing severity of the pandemic and underscores the urgency of effective public health measures.(Kindly note that many speculate that the real figures could be as high as 8 to 12 fold as the current authorities have found ways to try to conceal the true impact of COVID-19 including defining COVID-19 deaths as deaths that occur within 14 days of infection and have been verified as due to the direct cause of the virus which is not easy to ascertain in many cases.
Physicians speculate the final consolidated figures for COVID-19 deaths in June and July will be far much higher and in fact the July figures might be shocking once it is finally released as to date, hospitals across the country have seen many dying from COVID-19 in the last three weeks.
COVID-19 News reports from Thailand Medical News claims that various new BA.5 sub-lineages and also co-infections involving the BA.5 sub-lineages and various new XBB sub-lineages are driving COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. The same scenarios are also occurring in China and South Korea.
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-surge-in-covid-19-hospi
talizations-in-japan,-china,-south-korea-are-driven-by-ba-5-sublineages-including-bf-7-and-co-infections-not-eg5-1
Health authorities remain vigilant as the summer months progress, with particular concern over the upcoming Bon Festival season. The Bon Festival, a Japanese Buddhist custom that honors the spirits of ancestors, typically occurs in mid-August. The tradition involves gatherings of families and communities, making it a potential catalyst for further COVID-19 transmission if appropriate precautions are not observed.
To tackle the escalating situation, the Japanese government and public health institutions are reiterating the importance of preventive measures. Citizens are urged to continue practicing good hygiene, such as frequent handwashing, wearing masks, and practicing social distancing. Additionally, vaccination efforts have been ramped up to accelerate immunity within the population. Health officials emphasize that vaccination remains a critical tool in reducing severe illness and mortality rates associated with COVID-19.
As the pandemic landscape continues to evolve, the government has adopted a responsive approach, closely monitoring infection trends in different regions. The emergence of higher COVID-19 rates in several prefectures outside of Okinawa underscores the need for targeted interventions and resources to support healthcare systems and containment efforts.
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COVID-19 News updates about the situation in Japan, keep on logging to
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