Japan's coronavirus death toll tops 5,000

It’s gonna be at 6000 in the first week of February. Higher even.

If the mere closing of bars results in lower infection rates, (all nicely packaged up with controlled testing) you should know that you are being told a fairy tale.

There is no actual large scale testing, and sending large amounts of people home to get better on their own resulted in a mom committing suicide, and two people who were “recovering” from covid literally dying in their room.

The death toll from the novel coronavirus in Japan surpassed 5,000 on Saturday as the country struggles to curb a third wave of infections, according to a Kyodo News tally.

Why do the press keep on stating this BS? Japan really never got out of the first wave, let alone a second.

This makes it sound like there was some level of control between each of the waves, but there wasnt.

This is in reality the peak of the FIRST wave!

Nobuteru Ishihara a diet member of LDP and a son of Shintaro Ishihara former Tokyo governor was hospitalized on 21st. He was contracted with COVID19. Though his condition is normal, he was accepted to a hospital immediately while many are reportedly dead while they are waiting to be hospitalized. His office explained he had a diabetes.

Two things spring to mind.

1) Is Japan reporting deaths by the same metrics being used by most other countries? Ie, Person catches Covid, dies from Covid induced stroke, the death is attributed to Covid? Or is this the usual Japanese reporting where they have had a stroke, and just happen to have Covid at the same time. If you want an example of this occurring, have a look at how driving deaths are reported here.

2) Without retrospective post-mortem testing, thay have no idea of the official numbers. Thus anyone feeling unwell at home for a couple of days then passing away, may not be included in the official figures. I have yet to hear of any requirement for post-mortem testing.

By age group, the death rate for COVID-19 patients in their 80s and above stood at 11.5 percent, and that for those in the 70s came to 4.3 percent.

Let me just add the rate for other age groups:

60s: 1.3

50s: 0.3

40s: 0.1

Average death age of Japanese (2019): 81.41 for men; 87.45 for women.

Inspectorgadget.... To answer your questions.

Yes. if the patient dies within 28 days of a covid-19 positive they are counted as a covid death. While the vast majority of these deaths will not undergo a post mortem exam, this is no different to most other countries.

For a little perspective..5,000 deaths in a YEAR .is a lot but that was the figure for LAST WEEK in the UK. A country with about half the population as Japan!

don't worry folks! The Okympics will go on and we will beat this virus over the head with the olympic torch!!

Sincerely,

Suga

1) Is Japan reporting deaths by the same metrics being used by most other countries? Ie, Person catches Covid, dies from Covid induced stroke, the death is attributed to Covid? Or is this the usual Japanese reporting where they have had a stroke, and just happen to have Covid at the same time. If you want an example of this occurring, have a look at how driving deaths are reported here.

The guideline by the heath ministry is more maximalist: basically all deaths of covid patients are officially recorded as "covid-related."

2) Without retrospective post-mortem testing, thay have no idea of the official numbers. Thus anyone feeling unwell at home for a couple of days then passing away, may not be included in the official figures. I have yet to hear of any requirement for post-mortem testing.

Post mortem is conducted, required for unknown causes of death (especially bodies outside hospital). Some covid cases have been identified via post mortem, and reported accordingly.

If you want to explore it in another angle, check the excess death.

For a little perspective..5,000 deaths in a YEAR .is a lot but that was the figure for LAST WEEK in the UK. A country with about half the population as Japan!

A quick follow-up for Japan. Annually 1.3+ million Japanese die of various causes, 3,562 per day. In 2020, the number decreased by about 16,000 despite the pandemic and worrying surge in suicides (and larger aging population). For policymakers, the figure seems rather successful, as all lives matter to them.

The vast majority of covid dead in Japan are very old, at 70s or above, usually with comorbidity. Some die of covid at late 80s up to 100s, but they survived more than the average death age. The pattern has been consistent since the very beginning of this virus crisis.

I never downplay the covid impact on public heath and social life per se. I am willing to see things in perspective to remain cautious and smart.

Surprising about not to be serious taking information and arrangement

as Corona is pandemic.

Anyway, need to take serious to stop spreading virus,

Need to sit together all leaders to take a decision,

then people will listen the decision,

at least, it will reduce the anxiety, depression...

Suicide also increasing, JT reported.

'Life is precious than anything.'

What's with all the boxes blocking the window? Not a pleasant looking work environment. Sure the figures like the radiation read outs were being fudged the same thing is happening now. The strict criteria just to get a test alone keeps the numbers down.

Well, put this in perspective. Japan has had 5,000 deaths while the USA has more than 400,000 deaths, and at the USA rate, Japan would have more than 130,000 deaths. So Japan is doing pretty well. Not as well as Taiwan or Viet Nam, but still, doing pretty well.

there is no second, third waves! we are still on the first one!

This picture puts the virus in perspective for us. This is a perfect example of what NOT to do in a workplace. Lack of ventillation, covering windows, no social distance. This is the Japanese way!

To note.

Close from my place, a guy in his sixties has fever, but as he was better the following day, let it go. His wife a few days later was confirmed as having covid, and as a contact person, did the test. Waiting for the result, he passed away. He is one more with a sudden health change resulting in death.

Many have certainly passed away from a stroke, etc, and covid was a factor, but tests were not done.

Typical Japanese office layout. Shoot me now.

zichi

Japan's Nobel prize winner Yamanaka hypothesize it as "Factor X." People living in areas close to China have some kind of immunity to COVID 19. They have been exposed to viruses from China for long time.

as influenza has all but disappeared, 5000 is less than an average winter.

Let me just add the rate for other age groups: 

60s: 1.3

50s: 0.3

40s: 0.1

Average death age of Japanese (2019): 81.41 for men; 87.45 for women.

Thank you for facts not gossip.

people always say japan is one of the safest places in the world. If you are living in japan, you should be very thankful.

Unfortunately our unelected PM is recklessly on a mission to infect the nation of a vast number of weak and elderly via the 2020 Olympics.

new news is that the UK mutation kills 30% more. Of course no long term studies, but variant is spreading all over Europe. Other mutations in other continents.

block borders if you are living on an island, only choice for other countries is herd immunity.

"If infections continue to increase, there is a danger of not being able to save lives that could be saved," a medical expert said.

Viral fear porn (almost) at its best!

Let us say that the population of Japan is 123 millions and 5000 have died, right?

So, that works out, as a percentage of the population to be

0.0040650406504065%

And if underlying conditions and age are factored in then that number is on the high side!

However, having the virus means not having a cure and that is the danger

I believe one of the reasons why Japans seem to avoid an elevated mortality rate is behavior, observing strict social distancing, and masking up.

It is worth understanding basic principals of how epidemiology/science calculates and measures risk ...

Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health Practice, Third Edition

An Introduction to Applied Epidemiology and Biostatistics

https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dsepd/ss1978/lesson3/section3.html

Anyway, the bellow is a fact.

(Death tolls per 1 million)

Belgium 1,780

UK 1,429

Italy 1,410

USA 1,288

Considering excess fatality, there is possibility that the above numbers are too low. On the other hand,

Japan 39 without excess fatality

By the way, I am interested in recent declining infections and deaths in India. There is a rumor that Ivermectin is effective for them.

The average weekly daily rate for official COVID deaths in Japan is now over 100. New record the other day 108.

The curve has been steadily rising since December and even steeper since January and is continuting to rise and if continues at this rate will reach 150 then 200 soon. Who knows by the Olympics. The next 5000 deaths is not going to take 1 year. And as for the number of serious hospitalised improving, remember the number decreases because of those 100 that die there every day, as well as hopefully a few who pull through, so they are immediately being replaced by new patients of which some will also die. Two less does NOT simply mean two people recovered and things are all good,

With reports of patients suffering severe conditions renewing record figures almost on a daily basis, medical professionals warn of a medical system collapse where they will have to give up on otherwise treatable patients because of the lack of hospital beds.

haven't they been saying this for about a year now?

I don't know which is more depressing, the Covid death stats or that office layout.

Japan's Nobel prize winner Yamanaka hypothesize it as "Factor X." People living in areas close to China have some kind of immunity to COVID 19. They have been exposed to viruses from China for long time.

That crossed my mind a few months ago. I remember some thought it might have something to do with the Japanese language (Kore wa pen desu) being softer than most other languages. I was also thinking that perhaps a milder strain of Covid-19 circulated in years past, giving many who live in Japan the antibodies. No way to tell unless they check people for antibodies, instead of waiting for people to get absolutely sick to be checked for anything.

I was also thinking that perhaps a milder strain of Covid-19 circulated in years past, giving many who live in Japan the antibodies.

I've been saying this since the beginning. I was hit by some mystery bugs the first few years living in Japan. Not uncommon. I didn't expect the world to stop for me. Corona virus is nothing new, just this time the media, CDC etc have managed to turn this into a boogie monster and refuse to relinquish and let life get back to normal.

My mother is on her death bed right now, and because of the public, corporate and political reaction to the 'covid threat', I am unable to attend. Thanks a lot (insert colorful noun here).

Let's see how much more social damage we can do eh!

@AgentX,

All the best to your mother.My thoughts are with you,my friend.

I also was hit with the worst colds I have ever had when I first washed upon these shores.

Without going into detail the mucus and such were off the scale.

At that time I put it down to teaching little kids.

But looking at it from this viewpoint I am beginning to think you are on point.

Since those initial few years when I was getting the most horrible colds ever I have hardly had a cold in the last 20-odd years.

Well, put this in perspective. Japan has had 5,000 deaths while the USA has more than 400,000 deaths, and at the USA rate, Japan would have more than 130,000 deaths. So Japan is doing pretty well. Not as well as Taiwan or Viet Nam, but still, doing pretty well.

Gokai, why do you keep trying to make Japan's situation looked good by comparing it to the USA as if America is the only country worth comparing to? America's sitation is a complete disaster because they have one of the most unequal societies in the developed world along with woeful to non-existent public health care services. This, along with their obesity problem and the fact that they had a fascist in charge of the White House throughout the near entirety of the pandemic meant that everything was obviously going to go to sh*t, quick and fast.

What's Japan's excuse? It has a much healthier population that America. This, combined with a likely ancestral immunity of sorts to the virus should all have been factors in its favour no? Yet, still, its death rate is somehow many times higher than its East Asian neighbours.. Not just Taiwan and Vietnam (did you specifically name these countries on purpose since Japan's relations with them are relatively better?). China, South Korea, Mongolia, China and Hong Kong are all outperforming. Hong Kong! The densely populated city that has been nearly levelled by protests and riots in the past year, with the obvious COVID risk implied, is doing better than Japan! And Japan having an older population in general doesn't provide an answer since the death rate from the virus here is FIVE TIMES higher than in the rest of the region.

Japan has been by far the most, dishonest, sneaky country with how the government has handled the virus. One of the most limited testing regimes throughout the world, countries that are many many times smaller in population size perfrom more tests on a daily basis than Japan does. Yet the population are not made aware of the discrepancy in tests per million so they only look at daily figures compared to other countries. This virus is FAR more widespread in society than you think, contact tracing has all but been given up on at this point, people are dying at home since their symptoms 'aren't severe enough' and Japan was the only country in the planet to encourage domestic travel throughout this pandemic! All to make money for businesses of course. The state of emergecy guidelines are also unbelievable in their audacity. 'Close restaurants after 8, please'. Workers are still expected to risk their health for the economy of course, there's no protection and no order to make companies avail of telework even though this could all be done. 'We don't want to infringe on personal freedoms'. HAHA. Japan does not care about personal freedoms considering there's been no change in its inhumane, work-yourself-to-death culture. If personal freedoms were a priority, the Japanese government would be genuinely overhauled this and let people know their rights.

It's the sneakiness of all this that grates.

I know more than a few with the virus but it is NOT so dangerous for most.

Presently, I talk everyday to an infected individual and drop off supplies.

I know more than a few with the virus but it is NOT so dangerous for most.

So far...

The whole point of stopping infection is to stop the virus mutating into something more dangerous, and to protect the vulnerable.

I guess your attitude would be different if it was your age range that was worst affected.