Abe: "COVID-19 Clinical Treatment to Begin as Early as July This Year"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, stated on the 11th that clinical trials for a COVID-19 vaccine could begin in Japan as early as July this year.

According to NHK, Prime Minister Abe said at the House of Representatives Budget Committee on the same day regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, "In the United States, administration to humans has already started. Development is underway domestically at the University of Tokyo, Osaka University, and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, and clinical treatment could begin as early as July."

He is also reported to have expressed a desire to consolidate information and knowledge from countries around the world to start vaccine administration as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, according to the Asahi Shimbun, a state of emergency due to COVID-19 has been declared throughout Japan, and 15 new confirmed cases were added on the day. The daily new confirmed cases in Tokyo have remained below 50 for six consecutive days since the 6th of this month. The cumulative confirmed cases in Tokyo announced up to the previous day stand at 4,868.

On the other hand, according to a report by the Yomiuri Shimbun on the 11th, it was confirmed that there were many omitted cases in the confirmed case counts previously announced by Tokyo, with about 100 cases identified. Reflecting the omitted confirmed cases, the cumulative confirmed cases in Tokyo reach approximately 5,000.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.