Tokyo’s COVID-19 cases hit 2nd highest daily record as virus runs rampant

TOKYO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) – The Tokyo metropolitan government reported 884 new COVID-19 infections on Friday, with the figure marking the second-highest on record for the capital amid a resurgence in cases.

The figure comes on the heels of the capital city of 14 million registering a record 888 COVID-19 cases the previous day, with the nationwide tally also hitting a record high at 3,700 new daily infections. The latest figure also marks the highest for a Friday, with each day of the week booking a record high number of infections for the past 11 consecutive days.

The capital’s cumulative total now stands at 54,902 infections. The Tokyo metropolitan government last Thursday raised its alert regarding the strain on the medical system to the highest on its four tier scale, marking the first time the highest alert level had been issued since the outbreak of the virus.

Despite the recent surge in virus cases and the strain on the medical system, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has said there was no need to declare a national state of emergency, although said that further restrictions on bars and restaurants may be put in place. But such is the severity of the situation here that a “medical state of emergency” was declared by the Japan Medical Association and eight other health organizations on Monday.

The pace of the virus’ spread of late has many experts extremely concerned about the medical system possibly buckling as it took less than two months for the figure to double to top the 200,000-mark, compared to the nine and a half months it took to reach the 100,000-mark from when the first case was diagnosed in January.

“The spread of the virus has led to a rise in the number of hospitalized patients and those suffering from severe cases,” Takaji Wakita, head of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, said Tuesday. “It will be difficult to manage general medical treatment alongside the pandemic,” Wakita, who also chairs a government panel of medical experts, said. Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, while urging people to take increased anti-virus measures during the year-end and New Year holiday period, has also requested people to refrain from unnecessary outings.