Office cluster pushes Tokyo coronavirus cases to 6-week high of 55

It is inaccurate to speak about one virus; there are now many strains which affect different populations differently

Over one million dead from flu in 1968! Also, over a span of about six months. Half a million dead from covid 19 in a span of about two months

2 Months? Didn't you get the memo? This thing started back in December of last year, so it has been over 6 months now.

Well God forbid people have some quality of life. They should all be shivering in fear in their homes not out getting some enjoyment out of their lives. I mentioned in an earlier post the number of traffic deaths in almost every East Asian country is higher, sometimes 10 to 20 times higher than the rate of COvid-19 deaths. But when it comes to choosing a better quality of life over being safe from an automobile accident most people choose the risk. In fact, in any country the risk of a young person dying from an automobile accident is far higher than dying from covid-19. Not only is probability of death low for most people, you still have to contract the virus and recent anti-body tests in Tokyo show that less than 1% of the population ever got the virus.

I love you Chris dharan, now I know I'm not alone in this world.

@Chris Dhahran

Thank you for the posts, very informative and insightful.

Canadians have been very good about wearing masks and staying home

Ashley Shiba.

Not from where I sit (in Canada's capital), the road outside my house never ceased being busy especially at weekends and I see few people passing wearing masks. The general sentiment amongst many Canadians seems to be ok what is it I'm allowed to do, I'll do a bit more as I'll probably get away with it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not critical of your points in general but just pointing out that Canadians generally have not handled this very well. But if course, being Canadians, they wont' be able to refrain from congratulating themselves on how well they've done.

Moderator: Readers, Canada is not relevant to this discussion.

Why is the office UNNAMED? How about some real journalism? The public has a right to know the name and location of the office, where the travel from to get there, what train lines, bus routes etc. The questions should be asked and if unanswered it should be mention in all languages that this story appears.

Another example of why the Japanese government is not to be trusted in its management of the Covid-19 crisis. It aught to be shamed into providing such details instead of being allowed to continue to out the population at mortal risk.

It's a dog n pony show!

"Clusters in the workplace have become a big problem lately"

Really, what a surprise (not)

"The latest case tells us that offices can become clusters too, so we'd like everyone to think again about what a new normal for the workplace should look like."

Ooh really? That is even more surprising (not)

Really the level of logic expressed by these statements is profoundly astonishing

In the world of Japan bashing... Does it matter when other countries had an increase in people being infected once they reopen?

This is a trend worldwide once you reopen.

Tokyo has said it could re-impose restrictions if the figure crept up to 50 or more - something that last happened on May 5.

Well there they have it.

Coincidentally, May 5 was the day the nationwide state of emergency was extended until the end of May with the reason given as " to ease the strain on the country’s medical system".

Shall we expect clinics and hospitals shutting down en masse again rather than treating patients? Surely Super Stimulus Abe has made sure this won't happen ...?

a cluster of infections was found at an unnamed office in the Japanese capital.

Thanks for not telling us the name and location of the office so we can stay the hell away from it Koike.

Why would you need to avoid it? Your 'better than Lincoln' leader is encouraging the exact opposite. He even opposes basic PPE usage, as it is a symbol of disapproval for him.

You seem to be slightly more scared of the virus in Japan than in the US. Now why could that be?

As mentioned before we are not out of the woods and now disney will open July 1st i hope the virus doesn't spread like wild fire.

It's troubling for Contractors (Hakuen) since if they get sick, they don't get paid - thus the enticement to go to

the office whilst knowingly unwell, remains.

Furthermore, this virus appears to have long lasting repercussions.

55 people is currently a drop in the Ocean within Tokyo. However, that's 55 people, you may have had contact with, or someone you've bumped into, may have had contact with... so we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg here.

Another lockdown is quite likely, just as in some other places around the World.... so go buy your Toilet paper now!

@Ashley Shiba

There are over 5000 variants of the virus now-not the same in Canada as here...

@Ashley Shiba

Canada has a death rate of 224 per million while Japan has a death rate of 8 per million. Reducing death is the goal, not testing. Reducing death means reducing spread and Japan has been far more successful than Canada and most other Western countries. Japanese are still wearing masks and distancing. That has been very effective.

"Japanese people hear lock down is over they compute it as the virus is over and go on as normal gathering in clusters such as the zoo with the pandas exhibit."

Well God forbid people have some quality of life. They should all be shivering in fear in their homes not out getting some enjoyment out of their lives. I mentioned in an earlier post the number of traffic deaths in almost every East Asian country is higher, sometimes 10 to 20 times higher than the rate of COvid-19 deaths. But when it comes to choosing a better quality of life over being safe from an automobile accident most people choose the risk. In fact, in any country the risk of a young person dying from an automobile accident is far higher than dying from covid-19. Not only is probability of death low for most people, you still have to contract the virus and recent anti-body tests in Tokyo show that less than 1% of the population ever got the virus.

“Unnamed office” How useless.

I am sure people who work there and associated with that company know it is the cluster office. If the name gets out, idiots will be heading there to vandalize it and spread slander about it. The same reason if you get Covid, you hope the neighborhood doesn't find out.

Today, a Japanese minister confirmed my suspicion:

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/61ae4e7707ee602d7bf4bf20ab91836f5d30b46a

An unexpected was that the readers' replies are very critical of the Japanese government in handling the covid-19. I thought that the new site is always dominated by Netto-uyoku who are blindly supportive of Abe san and the right-wing political leaders.

a cluster of infections was found at an unnamed office in the Japanese capital.

Thanks for not telling us the name and location of the office so we can stay the hell away from it Koike.

Open the econmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!! Why does no one ever listen to me?

@girl_in_tokyo

First, your math is wrong. Most of the deaths have already happened. Look at worldmeter and you can see the death curves are declining. Secondly, you don;t know anything about me. I have been sending money to people I know in South East Asia that are close to starving because these criminal lockdowns have destroyed their jobs and their lives. What have you done?

The virus has a 0.5% to 0.2% fatality rate. Much less than originally feared. Is that bad news for you? Do you have any numbers to contradict what I submitted? Moral outrage is normally used to cover-up you have no facts on your side. Do you have any?

@cracaphat

"A bit melodramatic". You are being too kind. It is a falsehood. On the Diamond princess with a very susceptible population 740 out of 3,700 people got the virus. We don't know if that was from 1 person or more than 1 (more likely).

It seems to me that Japan has been controlling the official number of the covid-19 cases to be compatible with that of S. Korea by restricting and manipulating the number of tests.

For example: https://www.newsweekjapan.jp/marukawa/2020/05/post-62_6.php

@borcht

"Oh, but don’t worry; it’s just a bad cold." That was not said or implied and you are being disingenuous by claiming that was suggested. The numbers are clear: Covid-19 is worse than the 2018 flu and not as bad as the 1958 and 1968 flu. That is exactly what the numbers say. Yet the reaction in 1968 and 1958 was not as drastic.

Medical personal received huge viral loads, 10 to 20 times more than the average case and this is what caused a high death rate. Hospitals were overwhelmed in only a few places and only for a short time (at the peak). In 2018 in Italy the flu killed over 24,000 people (covid-19 is 34,000) and also overwhelmed some hospitals.

@waaso

Epidemiologists have been pretty wrong all along. Many different opinions. And as an epidemiologist you are safer if you overestimate death than underestimate. Look at the diamond princess. That is pretty revealing. Not a 70% spread. 90% of people who get the virus have mild or no symptoms at all. That is known. Also known I the death rate is already less than half of what it was in late April. Deaths are falling off.

By the way your math is wrong 0.02% death rate is equal to 0.0002x5,250 (million) = 1.05million. 0.2% death rate would be 10.5 million, but again 70% are not getting the virus.

The virus is not that deadly. There have been many anti-body studies showing the real fatality rate is lower than 0.5%

There are 7.5 billion people in the world. At the beginning of this pandemic, epidemiologists predicted that up to 70% of humanity would eventually catch the virus before a vaccine is developed. Let's say that the actual death rate is on the lower end at 0.02%.

70% of 7,500,000,000 equals 5,250,000,000 people falling ill with the virus.

Out of that number of the infected, a 0.02% death rate means over 100 million people will die. No, it's not the end of the world, but it's nothing to sneeze at, either.

Over one million dead from flu in 1968! Also, over a span of about six months. Half a million dead from covid 19 in a span of about two months. Plus, there’s a vaccine for the various kinds of flu that circle the globe. Not so for the coronavirus.

Flu patients tend to stay home and die or get better; they usually don’t rush off to the hospital (in Japan they go to work).

Covid 19 overwhelmed entire cities and their hospitals. Doctors, nurses, and med students died from Covid 19 while they were trying to save patients in overcrowded, undermanned hospitals.

Oh, but don’t worry; it’s just a bad cold.

@Kaminokaze

Incorrect posting. The number of deaths per day in the world peaked in late April. The numbers of deaths per day now are less than half. No exponential growth. Go to https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ and look at the log graphs. Death rate is going down.

@girl_in_tokyo

It is even worse. viruses are not counted as 1 + 1 = 2 , its exponential! that means if we continue the same there will be at least 8 times of that number. and think about spreading it to poorer countries. (it already is there)

@Mirai

No competent business manager would allow the office to stay open under those conditions.

Exactly. The business manager in that business must be very very incompetent. Classic oyaji.

@Vinke

Flu has a wide range year by year from very deadly to mild. I posted the numbers and they are what they are. I compared to flu bad years and good years.

"I also detest this attitude that "it's only dangerous if your old or have pre-existing conditions","

I think what you detest is that your unsupported narrative that this is so deadly and terrible has been blown away; that someone else dare ask questions and even bring data into the fray that you can't deal with. Do you have any data to back up your beliefs or can you only sink to moral outrage, the last desperate move of someone who cannot prove his point.

Chris Dhahran Today 06:50 pm JST

2018 -- 450,000 dead from flu

2020 -- 480,000 dead from covid-19

450,00 dead from the flu in one year.

480,000 dead in six months.

That means if we continue like this, COVID will have killed 960,000.

It's concerning that doesn't bother you. It's even more concerning that you ignore that even the people who recover have lasting health effects, such as reduced lung capacity, that will reduce their life span. And it's It's positively immoral that you don't seem to care much about the people who are more susceptible, as if they are throwaways.

This is not a flu. People everywhere think going about your day in the ignorance is bliss lifestyle is just the way it is. Well, this lack of caring is going to kill a lot of people. Even when you say only a small percent will die, then you discount that their death was preventable.

I am afraid the data of infections is far too low. It must / has to be worse. The urban centres are germ pools.

Even those who are dying of supposed natural causes should be checked. I hate sounding like a nut, but there has to be a major data cover-up. Then again, with those that aren’t being tested or are afraid of it also factor into the low numbers.

I can empathize with the economical

woes and wanting to go about your day, but please consider who is around you.

The Tokyo cases on the up and up!

Those crowded trains are just what viruses love....

@Chris Dhahran

The virus is not that deadly. There have been many anti-body studies showing the real fatality rate is lower than 0.5%. You are at risk if you are over 65, and/or have pre-existing conditions. Less than 1,000 have died in Japan. The fear is completely overblown.

German study on actual fatality rate, about 0.38%:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMWdPRhu_p8

1968 - Over 1 million dead in the world from flu; 2 million if normalized to 2020

1958 -- Over 1 million dead from flu; 2.3 million if normalized to 202

2018 -- 450,000 dead from flu

2020 -- 480,000 dead from covid-19

Worse than 2018; in the end probably same or less deadly than 1958 and 1968. Yet, no lockdowns in 1958 or 1968, with all the destroyed economies and destroyed quality of life.

In East Asia almost every country has more traffic deaths per year than covid deaths. Take Philippines -- 1,000 covid-19 deaths, average age 75; 10,000 traffic deaths average age under 30. It's time to start putting things in the proper perspective.

None of this "it's just a flu" propaganda here, please. The symptoms from this virus may be very severe and last months, even if you don't end up in a hospital, even if you're young and healthy. People keep on drumming about deaths, ignoring the long-lasting symptoms and the havoc this disease may cause to your body and your health.

I also detest this attitude that "it's only dangerous if your old or have pre-existing conditions", like the lives of the people who fit into these categories don't matter? We all know people who belong to these groups, i.e. we all risk passing the virus to them, if we're not ALL vigilant enough.

Also, you forgot the nearly 1500 excess deaths on top of that 1000 officially marked as covid-19 deaths.

Tokyo Gov Yuriko Koike had warned of a "large number" o

This "office" had 15 infected employees. What's not mentioned and yet a fact that is very important is that this is company was a temp staff agency. If they are in the business of meeting and interviewing people, then sending them off to other companies to work, wouldn't it be fitting to publish the name so that the general public can be informed if they had contact with these people????

55 out of 14,000,000

The sky is falling, the sky is falling were're doomed, repent, repent, woe is us.

Get a grip people, how many of this 55 are hospitalized? How many have comorbity? Left out of the reporting, hmmm ...

The virus is not that deadly. There have been many anti-body studies showing the real fatality rate is lower than 0.5%. You are at risk if you are over 65, and/or have pre-existing conditions. Less than 1,000 have died in Japan. The fear is completely overblown.

German study on actual fatality rate, about 0.38%:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMWdPRhu_p8

1968 - Over 1 million dead in the world from flu; 2 million if normalized to 2020

1958 -- Over 1 million dead from flu; 2.3 million if normalized to 202

2018 -- 450,000 dead from flu

2020 -- 480,000 dead from covid-19

Worse than 2018; in the end probably same or less deadly than 1958 and 1968. Yet, no lockdowns in 1958 or 1968, with all the destroyed economies and destroyed quality of life.

In East Asia almost every country has more traffic deaths per year than covid deaths. Take Philippines -- 1,000 covid-19 deaths, average age 75; 10,000 traffic deaths average age under 30. It's time to start putting things in the proper perspective.

Still, Tokyo - like the rest of Japan - has been spared the kind of explosive outbreak seen elsewhere.

Can the authors who parrot this phrase in all corona virus articles here on JT compare the number of test these places with explosive numbers perform and what Tokyo and Japan are performing.

Why does this cluster have to be unnamed.? Because the numbers are made up maybe.?

Because of the discrimination people will face if they have even the vaguest of association with it.

The metropolis, with a population of 14 million, has sought to keep new cases below 20 a day after Japan lifted a state of emergency on May 25. 

How can a metropolis like Tokyo keep new cases below 20 a day.

There is no other way except regulate the number of pcr test.

Name the damn building !

Protect and serve isnt that what the tokyo Governor is supposed to do, Serve the people , give them the information so they know what they are potentially walking into .

If the Truth be known its probably the Tokyo metropolitan building in Shinjuku thats why they wont name it .

Thankfully, panic and hysterical predictions seem to be on message boards only.

It could be therapeutic for them. Just make sure you don’t hire any of them for a job.

At my workplace:

~ one colleague told me he's been partying in Shinjuku/Kabukicho last weekend.

~ many colleagues don't wear their masks while on their breaks together, in the same room.

~ teachers touch (high-five, cuddle, touch their faces) the kids every day.

~ social distancing between pupils and staff isn't really followed.

This behaviour is fine by foreign and Japanese staff alike.

The general response from the public and politicians seems to be a big shrug of the shoulders.

More like the media reaction:

"55 NEW INFECTIONS IN TOKYO TODAY! HIGHEST IN SIX WEEKS!...meanwhile in other news this restaurant has slashed their menu prices!!! You should go now while it lasts!!!!....what? did we say 55 new infections?...psshhh don't worry, you'll be alright. Go out now and buy buy buy!!" ...ugh!

The general response from the public and politicians seems to be a big shrug of the shoulders.

Thankfully, panic and hysterical predictions seem to be on message boards only.

Agreed. Let the hysteria continue. I’m over it.

As long as you exercise a bit of common sense, all will be well

Let's scream and cry all together

Learning the new normal is a process. You can't expect perfect . It is what it is and really, not that bad considering we are talking about Tokyo.

Reckless

That's ridiculous! I am sure that the company recognized that this is a genuine health risk and people could actually die if exposed. No competent business manager would allow the office to stay open under those conditions.

They found 2 or 3 infected people in my building and they closed down the business and the floor for two weeks.

TigersTokyoDome: "Why does this cluster have to be unnamed.? Because the numbers are made up maybe.?"

Well, one valid reason is because of the "bullying" culture here. You're right, people have a right to know the building, but be honest... would you go near it if you knew? Many wouldn't... but would pass by, point, and avoid everyone who ever stepped foot inside. Then they'd ask their kids to avoid schools (even though there is nothing mandatory at all about staying home or places closing), spouses to stay home, etc. That's the VALID reason.

The other possibility is that, since business seems to be the priority over safety these days, they're avoiding it because it would affect the company as a whole and hurt others economically. And possibly, they're afraid they'll be named next.

Still, Tokyo - like the rest of Japan - has been spared the kind of explosive outbreak seen elsewhere, with some 5,800 coronavirus cases and 323 deaths so far.

Its this kind of rhetoric implies that an explosive outbreak can't or won't happen here, which is far from the truth!

It could explode but I think it’s better to stay rational rather than alarmist.

I was told here that I’d be stepping over bodies in the streets of Tokyo back in March.

marcelito - correctomondo. The UK numbers are awful, but at least they are pretty factual.

Still low levels of infections. There will be more but going about our lives normally is still the best thing to do.

@smith in Japan

Why are you waiting that the government is telling you what to do.

Don't sit there and just wait that the government decide each single thing of your life.

If you think your work place is not safe according Corona, why don't you go to your management at your work place and tell them your opinions? You can tell them that you are not feeling safe and you want them to improve their preventions.

Don't sit and just wait that the government is doing everything for you.

Still, Tokyo - like the rest of Japan - has been spared the kind of explosive outbreak seen elsewhere, with some 5,800 coronavirus cases and 323 deaths so far.

Its this kind of rhetoric implies that an explosive outbreak can't or won't happen here, which is far from the truth!

“Unnamed office”

How useless.

The media is to blame. They are encouraging people to travel and go to onsens and restaurants, and people let their guard down.

Night life businesses should have never been allowed to reopen; they are especially risky!

Why does this cluster have to be unnamed.? Because the numbers are made up maybe.?

You don't have to name the company but surely you have a responsibility to name the building. Then you have a responsibility to trace the commuting lines.

How would you feel if you had sat next to one of these people on your commute and the government knew but didn't tell you because they wish it to remain 'unnamed'?

"The latest case tells us that offices can become clusters too, so we'd like everyone to think again about what a new normal for the workplace should look like."

She forgot to add:

"But we're not going to tell you how to do it, and even if we do decide to impose restrictions again, which we said we would if the limit of 50 is passed, as it was a week ago and has been daily, we're not going to enforce it or impose any punishments on people for disobeying the suggestions. It's all up to you!"

No need for panic!

Clusters happens everywhere around the world where many people are gathering together.

My home country had a Cluster 3 days ago in a big factory with 250 cases!  But nobody really cares.

Here in Japan, Offices are always risky places for Clusters.

But I like to know the details of that office:

Do the people sit separate? Do the people have to wear masks? Are there everywhere sanitizers?

In my office,  we are 300 people where everyone MUST wear a mask, MUST measure fever every morning before enter the company, MUST sit separate with Carton walls between the desks and everywhere are Sanitizers. Lunch time is split into different groups.

Only Home Office is missing. But that is a general japanese companies management Problem.

But because of all these preventions, I feel safe at my Work Place.

Yes. Already on Instagram I'm seeing large gatherings of people wearing no masks in small spaces. Basically work parties. Mostly these are skin and beauty businesses. No social distancing whatsoever. Scary to see actually, but money needs to be made I guess.

A mini-spike at the workplace is a traceable case.

Very scary to use trains and going to office nowadays..

With the election campaign running up to July 4 for voting on the new Tokyo governor on July 5, it is more than likely we will see increased cases of infections, especially when you have many people gathering closely -- especially near the major train stations -- together to listen to the candidates.

why is this news

Because the evidence shows that a few cases in one month can lead to thousands of deaths in the next.

Still Insignificantly low, why is this news