"100 Deaths a Day"... Concerns Over COVID-19 Spread in Japan

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] For the first time, the daily death toll from the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Japan has exceeded 100.

According to NHK broadcasting, the number of COVID-19 related deaths reported across Japan on the 19th was 103. The previous highest daily death toll was 97 on the 13th.

The cumulative death toll stands at 4,699, and the number of critically ill patients in life-threatening condition increased by 28 in one day to 1,001, marking the highest number recorded.

On the same day, the number of new infections was 5,295 (as of 7:30 PM), including 1,240 in Tokyo, the highest for a Tuesday. The cumulative number of infections has surpassed 340,000.

Meanwhile, Okinawa Prefecture, which was excluded from the central government's emergency declaration, declared a local government-level state of emergency until the 7th of next month. The Japanese government had activated a state of emergency valid until the 7th of next month on the 8th for four metropolitan areas including Tokyo, where COVID-19 infections are rapidly increasing, and then expanded it to seven other prefectures: Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Aichi, Gifu, Tochigi, and Fukuoka.

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