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Japan reports 200,975 coronavirus cases

46 Comments

Japan on Saturday reported 200,975 coronavirus cases, a record high for the fourth straight day.

Tokyo reported 32,698 new coronavirus cases, down 2,297 from Friday.

The number of infected people hospitalized with severe symptoms in Tokyo is 14, down one from Friday, health officials said. The nationwide figure is 203, up 12 from Friday.

Other prefectures reporting high numbers were Osaka (22,501), Aichi (14,348), Kanagawa (13,716), Fukuoka (12,619), Saitama (12,424), Chiba (9,591), Hyogo (9,497), Shizuoka (6,425), Okinawa (5,297), Hokkaido (4,636), Kyoto (4,201), Kumamoto (3,730), Kagoshima (2,590), Ibaraki (2,548), Miyagi (2,208), Tochigi (2,138), Gifu (2,110), Gunma (2,093), Mie (1,997), Okayama (1,893), Niigata (1,842), Miyazaki (1,784), Nagano (1,626), Oita (1,596), Nara (1,569), Aomori (1,585), Nara (1,569), Nagasaki (1,561), Ishikawa (1,322), Ehime (1,272), Shiga (1,243), Fukushima (1,223), Kagawa (1,140), Iwate (1,051), Toyama (996), Yamanashi (940), Fukui (939), Shimane (850), Wakayama (841), Akita (833), and Yamagata (600).

The number of coronavirus-related deaths reported nationwide was 72.

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46 Comments

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Yes, absolutely hard to believe. I have just come back from hospital. Despite collapsing with Covid and being taken to Casualty (A&E), I was told the hospitals here in Kanagawa are absolutely full, and there are no beds available. Now if collapsing and needing oxygen, as I did, is a mild case, and my immunocompromised partner has also been refused admission, this gives you an idea of the scale of the pressure on the health system. The paramedics, the nurses and doctors said, we're very sorry, there are no beds, we will give you an ambulance ride home with some meds, then you're on your own. My oxygen levels are low, but still no beds, and just a couple of hours on a drip and with oxygen.

Please, do not minimise the scale of the problem and the pressure the health system is under. The health workers are all doing the very best they can, super efficiently, but there are just not enough resources to treat everyone. Do not minimise the seriousness of this disease, deaths are already heading upwards, and if treatment is effectively being rationed (no hotel quarantine and no oxygen for me despite low oxygen saturation and none for my partner despite being in a vulnerable group), people will die from lack of treatment. And not just Covid patients, anyone who needs emergency care is at risk. So don't have a heart attack, get heatstroke, have an accident, as the health system is under critical strain.

24 ( +37 / -13 )

I’ve finally gotten it. Thanks to the vaccinations its not much different from a cold for me, glad I was able to avoid it for two and a half years. With the numbers this past week it seems like everyone in the country is going to get it now.

4 ( +19 / -15 )

@rainyday

Had it last week too. Also, no more than a cold for me. Three days of light symptoms

-4 ( +12 / -16 )

Did you guys consider that the low hospitalization is not because of the vaccine, but because we are facing a much milder variant so far?

-21 ( +9 / -30 )

Doesn't the newspaper mean down 2,227 from Friday?

Moderator: Yes, that was a mistake.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Stop disinforming. Hospitalisation is not low. Hospitals are turning Covid patients away because there are no beds. I was sat in an ambulance for hours as there was no space inside the hospital. Then the doctor apologised for sending me home, saying very sorry, no room. Take care.

11 ( +21 / -10 )

It's not complicated to understand. If a variant is massively more infectious, then statistically, even if it's a a low percentage of cases, the absolute number of people doing poorly rockets. Doctors and nurses have just sent me home saying good luck, call the health centre. Health centre just has an automated msging service.

11 ( +19 / -8 )

Here is a report about BA.2.75:

The latest Omicron sub-variant BA.2.75, first detected in India in June, is not dangerous as "hyped" as it is not surging cases or death rates, according to global health experts.

Data from Nextstrain, an open-8source platform, showed that BA.2.75 has been detected from about 10 states in India and about 14 other countries including Japan, Germany, the UK, Canada, the US, Australia, and New Zealand.

The sub-variant was dubbed to be dangerous, and was nicknamed as 'Centaurus' by Twitter users, irking several scientists.

"I disagree that BA.2.75 or Centaurus is of concern. In spite of media & Twitter hype," Tulio de Oliveira, Director at Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI) in South Africa, said in a tweet.

It is because the sub-variant has led to "very low increase of cases and deaths in India", said de Oliveira led the team of scientists who discovered the Omicron variant of Covid.

"B.2.75 is not increasing in prevalence anywhere. There is also no data suggesting change in neutralisation or pathogenicity. Don't Believe the Hype!" he added.

-9 ( +7 / -16 )

Surely the strain on the hospital system is basically due to government mismanagement? 

My impression today is of a system of triage which is well set up and works extremely smoothly. The paramedic just explained that there are so many cases, so many calls, that their system of triage is pretty ruthless. It has to be. I don't know whether this is despite government mismanagement, but it seemed to me that actual healthcare institutions are doing a fantastic job. But right now, there are just too many cases to give everyone the care they need. For everyone who's had light symptoms, I'm really pleased for you, but please don't assume that because you got off lightly, everyone is, and believe that the healthcare system is struggling to cope with the sheer numbers right now. Whatever the reason.

11 ( +17 / -6 )

3 important points from that report:

First point:

The latest Omicron sub-variant BA.2.75, first detected in India in June, is not dangerous as "hyped"

Second point:

It is because the sub-variant has led to "very low increase of cases and deaths in India",

Third point:

"I disagree that BA.2.75 or Centaurus is of concern. In spite of media & Twitter hype,"

Let me continue the third point...*In spite of media & Twitter hype, *and in spite of all the paranoid fearmongering idiots who spread their BS day in day out on the internet.

-12 ( +8 / -20 )

The latest “hospitalization” info was published by the ministry oh health and welfare last night:

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/newpage_00023.html

As of Wednesday, 5.8% of positive cases were in hospital or hotel-45,500.

79% of positive cases were at home-615,000.

Overall, 37% of hospital beds filled, 19% of ICU beds filled.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

As the crow flies,

I hope that you both are on the road to recovery.

I will second your plea not to minimize or poo-poo this virus and it’s risk.

Thank you for adding your insight on difficulty in getting treatment.

I appreciate your input.

12 ( +19 / -7 )

My primary care doctor says that if/when I become infected, he will put me on Paxlovid straight-away. I hope you and your partner have easy access to this antiviral.

I've heard good thing about Paxlovid - I wonder how difficult it is to get prescribed though?

In the US it's pretty easy, but here I'm not so sure of its availability - can a clinic prescribe it or only a hospital?

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Let’s add some reality to just how dire the current situation is and where it’s going…. We know that severe cases and deaths have followed each surge … these current numbers of actual hospitalizations are unsustainable… we have prefectural heads of their medical associations stating as much … These are the actual numbers through last night….

Infections 11,012,060

Change from previous day +195,160

Hospitalizations 909,261

Change from previous day +111,811

After recoveries/deaths subtracted from the previous day and new actual admissions added , for a net of the +111,811 newly admitted patients. And 83,349 more people sent home to recover or die… Someone can try , but there is no factual dispute in these numbers! They are provided and updated daily by the jgov. The entire healthcare system is on the brink of total collapse…. And yes …. When symptomatic people are being sent home…. Not even to a hotel with around the clock healthcare professionals there , the system is at its breaking point. For those of you in the marginalized minority who still are not vaccinated…. Get started asap! If you’re eligible for a booster…. Get it arranged asap! Mask up when your or those around you personal safety is compromised! This disaster is only 2 weeks in… despite all the naysayers falsely claiming Covid over just 14 days ago…. Keep safe people!

-9 ( +7 / -16 )

Let's be real about the situation here, okay guys... There are hundreds of thousands of cases in Japan right now... Tens of thousands in Tokyo... Okinawa doing badly... Even though there are only 15 in severe condition... There's actually 7 million people in Tokyo hospitalized with severe conditions... I'm putting three periods in between every sentence... Can you tell I'm being really serious guys???

Bad situation... All numbers coming directly from myself, I mean, the Jgov (totally reliable lol)... Follow the 3cs even though they haven't done much good for two and a half years... Get vaccinated now and stop being selfish!... If you're not boosted book your appointment now.... Wear a mask... Stay home... No going to bars, let the economy suffer.... Maybe Japan needs to bring back the travel bans, and maybe a state of emergency... Keep your family safe... Bring back 14 day quarantine... Protect yourself and others!!!111

-3 ( +9 / -12 )

Steven,

111,000 cases were not hospitalized in one day.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

didouToday 05:12 pm JST

@rainyday

Had it last week too. Also, no more than a cold for me. Three days of light symptoms

-6( +1 / -7 )

Do not understand why downvoted. I just reports facts. The hospital did not even give medicines. When symptoms are lights, that's how it works.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

If you follow the link I posted above, there are about 110,000 beds total in Japan for Cortana patients ( hospital and hotel)

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Steven, we have something in common I also hate autocorrect

1 ( +3 / -2 )

You have been spouting about your so-called “natural immunity” ever since this pandemic began, as though it were the only remedy people need in order to resist the Covid virus.

I was out with a few lads to watch sports in a bar last weekend - everyone except myself and another lad caught it. Myself and the other guy already caught omicron a few months back.

It would make sense that catching the previous variant would provide more protection against the current variant than a vaccine based on a 2-year old strain of a rapidly evolving virus.

should be telling you that “natural immunity” is a delusion

I mean, this just isn't true. Nobody is claiming this. I'm a fan of the vaccines and I got shot 1 and shot 2 - helps prevent death from COVID = good - but arguing that natural immunity isn't real is unscientific.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

Number of deaths today - 72.

No. of deaths 22nd July - 52.

No. of deaths 21st July - 47.

No. of deaths 19th July - 28.

No. of deaths 18th July - 19.

No. of deaths 17th July - 17.

Will be over 100 deaths a day next week judging by this trend.

6 ( +13 / -7 )

I see, it’s very difficult to have enough hospital beds, if you face a disease outbreak such suddenly two and a half years ago and you don’t know that creating some more hospital beds are maybe the best strategy against not enough hospital beds. But maybe I could give a little helpful hint now. Irony off.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

“Stop disinforming. Hospitalisation is not low. Hospitals are turning Covid patients away because there are no beds. I was sat in an ambulance for hours as there was no space inside the hospital. Then the doctor apologised for sending me home, saying very sorry, no room. Take care.”

I hope you get well soon! The information in the article said bed usage now is 45-46% and usage for Omicron serious cases is 17-18%. Am a bit confused!

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Did you guys consider that the low hospitalization is not because of the vaccine, but because we are facing a much milder variant so far?

Yes, omicron was first reported to be very mild when it emerged in South Africa, which had a low gas rate.

The data clearly shows that the vax gives a little protection from symptoms for a couple of months, but after about 3 months it actually increases your chances of having a symptomatic infection.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zyYq93YtScE

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

With such a high vaccination rate, one might think that the infection rate would be significantly reduced.

-5 ( +9 / -14 )

Only about 12% of the population have been infected with covid.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Thanks for all the well-wishes. I consider myself averagely robust, but I can say the past three days with this have been anything but fun. Ironically, I actually feel better today, but even so, since my partner got the pulse oximeter yesterday, my oxygen saturation has stayed at 93%. Apart from the 2 hours I was hooked up to oxygen in the ambulance. The leaflet they gave us with the oximeter says call 119 if your saturation is at 93% or below, but when the health worker dropped by the house to deliver it, she said basically disregard the leaflet, the number is now below 90%. And that, my friends, is how you can reduce the number of 'serious' cases at a stroke - just massage the numbers. Online resources tell me below 95% is considered problematic, and needing constant monitoring. Now personally, I am much more comfortable in my own home, it's not like I really want to be in some nicotine-smelling Apa place, much less a hospital, but it is kind of scary being one of these 'mild-not-mild' cases. And the words of the health staff and ambulance staff make very clear they don't want to send people home.

Normally Japanese healthcare is very conservative. Any of us who have experienced it pre-corona know that they kept people in far longer than in other countries. So it's even more notable that despite giving me guidelines of what is a dangerously low oxygen saturation on their own leaflet, in practice, they find themselves forced to deny care. You would think my partner and I's case would be a clear candidate for at least one of us to isolate at an oxygen station (ie hotel with daily live check ups), but we are stuck together in a small space at home. We need to report daily to an answering machine on Line.

In fact, the only reason they kept me occupying a hospital bed so long is that after asking me if I could walk home (!), they drew back, but all the special taxis were fully booked, so they had to wait to ship me home in an community care ambulance. Having me pass out again on the street in the afternoon heat would not be a good look I guess. Just to restate what I said in earlier posts, when waiting at the clinic where I collapsed to take me to hospital, the nurse said that all Covid beds in Yokohama and Kawasaki were full.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

I know that Tokyo is not Shanghai and that the draconian methods used by the Chinese government to battle Covid can't happen in Japan; but, it may be time for a soft targeted lockdown here. Money does grow on trees...

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

e heard good thing about Paxlovid - I wonder how difficult it is to get prescribed though?

In the US it's pretty easy, but here I'm not so sure of its availability - can a clinic prescribe it or only a hospital?

I'd guess they are triaging it - the clinic didn't prescribe it, but the large hospital A&E did. My immunocompromised partner is also on it since yesterday, prescribed by a transplant centre. It's  4 x 200g Lagevrio® (molnupiravir), twice a day.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

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