Tokyo records biggest single-day COVID tally since the inception of pandemic amid Olympics

COVID worries continue in Tokyo as city reported 5,042 fresh coronavirus cases on Thursday. latest tally marks city’s biggest single-day count since pandemic began. Infections continue to surge since mid-July in Japanese capital hosting Olympics. Tokyo and four or areas in country are currently under a state of emergency. Meanwhile, Japan registered more than 14,000 new cases taking total cases tally to 970,460.

COVID-19 in Tokyo 

Tokyo has been witnessing a strong surge in its COVID tally since July. Alarmed by sudden spre, health experts are calling for state of emergency to be expanded nationwide. On Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced a milder version of emergency measures in eight prefectures, including Fukushima in east and Kumamoto in south, beginning Monday. less-stringent measures will allow businesses to run in areas. Meanwhile, Suga has been constantly receiving criticism for insisting on hosting Olympics despite coronavirus surge in Tokyo.

“We need to tackle situation now that we have a stronger sense of urgency,” Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters, referring to Tokyo exceeding 5,000 new daily cases for first time. “ infections are expanding at a pace we have never experienced before.” Responding to criticism against him, PM said that re was no evidence linking increase in cases to Olympic Games.

PM urged people to stay at home during summer vacation and asked m to follow COVID safety protocols in place. Earlier, it was reported that public's health measures were being increasingly ignored by capital. PM Suga also pledged to carry out more vaccinations to “prevent furr spre of virus.” However, Japanese health experts believe that people’s non-cooperation comes due to Olympics being held in city.  

TPR in Tokyo stands at 20 per cent

Experts on a Tokyo metropolitan government panel have cautioned that city’s infections exceed 10,000-mark in coming days. According to government reports, current surge is propelled by more contagious delta variant of COVID-19. Tokyo’s test positivity rate stands at 20 per cent, indicating a significant spre of infections. In Tokyo, nearly 17,000 patients with mild symptoms are currently isolating at home and more than 10,000 are in wait for hospital beds or special hotels.

IMAGE: AP/ PIXABAY

(With Agency Inputs)