COVID infections in Japan exceed 8,000
Baku, January 10, AZERTAC
Japan's government confirmed more than 8,000 new infections nationwide on Saturday, the first day of a 3-day weekend, according to NHK World-Japan.
Tokyo confirmed 1,224 new cases. That is 15 times the number reported last Saturday. It is also the first time the daily tally has exceeded 1,000 since September.
Governor Koike Yuriko said, "The Omicron variant has been spreading very fast since the beginning of the new year. It's necessary to maintain a strong sense of crisis and take all possible anti-infection measures."
In the southern prefecture of Okinawa, the usually busy streets of the capital were deserted. The prefectural government confirmed a record 1,759 new cases, the highest in the country.
Quasi-emergency measures have now been implemented in Okinawa, Yamaguchi, and Hiroshima prefectures. They will remain in place until the end of January.
The action means the prefectural governors can impose targeted measures in areas where there are outbreaks. That can help them prevent the medical systems from becoming overwhelmed.
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