Japan's Daily COVID-19 Cases Top 200,000 For The 1st Time

According to a tally of new cases reported Saturday, July 23, 2022, Japan's daily COVID-19 cases surpassed 200,000 for the first time, marking the fourth consecutive day of a record count during the seventh wave of coronavirus infections, Mainichi Japan reported.

Photo Insert: During the most recent surge, a large number of prefectures reported record daily cases caused by the highly transmissible Omicron subvariant known as BA.5. Kanagawa, Aichi, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Okinawa were among them.

Tokyo recorded 32,698 new cases, breaking the 30,000 mark for the third day in a row. On the same day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno tested positive for the virus, according to the government.

During the most recent surge, a large number of prefectures reported record daily cases caused by the highly transmissible Omicron subvariant known as BA.5. Kanagawa, Aichi, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Okinawa were among them.

In Tokyo, medical staff and elderly care workers began receiving their fourth COVID-19 vaccinations on Saturday, after the government expanded eligibility criteria in response to Japan's seventh wave of infections.

Previously, the fourth dose was only available to people aged 60 and up, as well as those between the ages of 18 and 59 who had pre-existing conditions and were thought to be at a higher risk of developing severe symptoms if infected with the virus.

The decision to start the vaccinations last week was made to ensure that enough medical and care workers are available at a time when Japan is seeing a record number of new cases caused by the BA.5 strain.

Due to staff shortages caused by a wave of COVID infections, some medical institutions in the capital have been forced to limit the number of emergency patients they accept and scale back surgical procedures.

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