In Japan, health experts are calling for preventative measures during the summer holidays amid a rising number of COVID-19 cases.
Recent weeks in Japan have seen dozens of new COVID-19 cases. For the week that ended 14 July, the average number of confirmed cases at individual health facilities was 11.18, 1.39 times higher than the week before, and the 10th consecutive week of rising cases, according to NHK. The total number of patients rose to 55,072, a 1.39-fold increase.
Patients visiting health facilities are experiencing cold-like symptoms such as fever and sore throat. In addition, Ando Sakuro, head of the Tokyo clinic, said that about ten people have tested positive for the coronavirus every day since the end of June.
He added: “The summer holidays will increase opportunities for people to interact with others. I recommend taking basic infection control measures, such as hand-washing, ventilation, and wearing a mask if coughing.”
The recent rise in infections is partly a result of the KP.3 strain, a variant of the Omicron strain. KP.3 (derived from JN.1) has become the predominant strain not only in Japan but also in the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe and the US. It is presumed to be slightly more infectious than other variants.
Naoki Hasegawa, chairman of the Japan Infectious Diseases Association and a professor at Keio University, said Japan is probably entering the 11th wave of COVID-19 infections and it is necessary to prevent contamination and spread.
