Tokyo reports 856 new coronavirus cases; nationwide tally 3,571

Japan is doing everything right.

Comedy?

Not bad for last Saturday's results. Japan is doing everything right.

I disagree, I think Japan is going about it all wrong. Waiting to see what happens is not a plan, being forced to act is not a plan.

Well, we told you so Suga. I don't think closing the pubs 2 hrs earlier will make any difference. The virus is here and is mutating rapidly. Stay healthy people.

From NHK：曜日ごとの最多を更新するのは15日連続です。

In other words:

This marks 15 straight days where a new record has been reached for that particular day of the week.

Tokyo back to an unmanageable positive rate - 16%. MORE tests are needed to show the extent of the spread, even if most carriers are unsymptomatic.

Tokyo should be doing a minimum of 10-20 times todays testing and putting alerts out for venues (eg izakaya) where the infected have been.

It is out of control. The virus that is. The only thing this administration is trying to control is the negative impact of the real situation.

Still no approval of 2 vaccines the rest of the world is already administering to their populations because Japanese Pharma is lobbying and pressurising government.

All we can do is to stay home by ourselves. As a Belgian I can not count on my Embassy, they only care about themselves and I am sure my diplomats already have been or soon will be inoculated and once again betray the citizens.

I see all these politicians wanting to @ give the right example” but actually rushing to just get the vaccine.

I would like to hear JUST ONE politician say “ I will be the last to take the vaccine after all my compatriots have been taken care off “. Then, I will believe a politician again.

@Akula

The trend is a little worrying, but 36000 active cases in a population of 120 odd million means Japan has it largely under control. Better decisions could have been made though.

It was just in the news today, that the hospital capacity in Tokyo is at 97%, and over 70 elderly covid-19 positive patients have been had to turn away from hospitals, as there is no more space nor staff to take care of them. You still think it sounds like the situation is "under control"?

@Oxycodin

Do you see a pandemic and do you see ambulances all day long rushing the covid patient to ER? Not sure what is real anymore

Yes, I do. I hear sirens and see ambulances rushing by my house all day long and every single day this year, recently in an increased pace. And that's what I'll remember 2020 for - the sirens.

@George Townes

People who test positive don't need an ambulance. They go to the hospitals on their own. There, at the hospital, they will hopefully recover.

To my understanding people who test positive but are not deemed as serious cases actually quarantine at designated hotels, where they're being monitored, and where they're served a meal 3 times a day. They don't go there on their own, but by designated taxis, that come and pick you up. No talking on the way - just get on, get off, and get your key from the lobby.

Akula: "The trend is a little worrying, but 36000 active cases in a population of 120 odd million means Japan has it largely under control."

It's this mentality that is part of the problem in terms of actually getting things under control. You cannot look at the number of infect and say, "Wow... only 36,000 in a country of 120 + million!" You have to look at it as the number of positive cases per people tested, and not even close to Japan's 120 million have been tested. In other words, you have to look at the positivity rate, which is disgraceful.

P.S. Referring to the image on this article - where's the social distancing again? At least every second or every third of those checking-in machines should be off limits now. I also don't see a single disinfectant bottle in the vicinity of those machines.

@Akula

Looking at the hard data is shows significant increase in cases and also weekly increases in positive rates and deaths. How is this under control? If any, the testing is low. Also, your active cases arguments doesn’t work; hospitals are already getting full by these “low numbers”, making it difficult and already impossible for doctors to diagnose and treat not only corona but all other diseases.

@Vinke. Bang on. Zero social distancing in this country. The crowds in the shops were shocking today. I do not know why shops do not control the number of customers in the shop to enable distancing.

I have been writing and warning a friend of mine who works in the government they are prepared for numbers over a thousand and soon from what I have been told. 

That doesn't surprise me the least. My humble prediction is that it'll happen by the end of this week. The government might not be as incompetent as it looks, it's just indifferent. I wouldn't be surprised to see today's stock market news presented as proof that everything is under control. After all, 'the economy' is the only thing that matters, along international prestige.

The 'we didn't want people to panic' line is a typical excuse when defending questionable past decisions. Trump used it, among others. Countries like Taiwan or New Zealand didn't need to downplay the threat to deal with the virus.

More testing would be nice. Whatever happened to 60,000 a day? And the vaccine, any chance of rolling that out sometime soon. As somebody said earlier, taking a ‘wait and see what happens’ approach is not going to get us out of this.

And for those betting on the safety of the vaccinations, the WHO has a different view, "Once again, the WHO has stepped in to offer some confusing comments about the coronavirus vaccine, warning that there is "no evidence to be confident shots prevent transmission" and that people who receive the vaccine should continue wearing masks and following all social distancing and travel guidelines.

What is confusing about this? the vaccines are tested for efficacy at stopping the disease, but it is not possible to test for transmission changes until a much larger percentage of the population is vaccinated, it is very likely some reduction will be observed but nobody can say it for sure (or how much) at this point.

So people could make the mistake of taking care even if they are not infectious anymore (and be in discomfort for a few more weeks or months); or people could make the mistake of not taking care while still being able to transmit the infection, causing other people not vaccinated to get sick or maybe even die. At this point it is just better to err on the side of caution.

This seems like a very high number from only 5.5 thousand tests.

It is ironic that total death toll in 2020 is less than that in 2019 because of the Covid-19.

Jan.-Oct.2020 : 1,133 k

Jan.-Oct.2019 : 1,147 k

(so: vital statistics)

Especially, death from pneumonia decreased drastically. The experts analyze the main reason comes from measures against the Covid-19. (wearing masks and washing hands)

However, death from the Covid-19 will increase from now on.

Lucky the hospitals and clinics will be closing for O-shogatsu, or we'd be well on track for 1000+ by the end of the week.

But if you don't test, you can't report, and if you don't report, it doesn't exist. Let's Heartful Olympic!

Kim Jong-Un would be happy with a journalistic system like we get in this burg.

Any chance we could have the contact tracing information regarding where these newly infected people have frequented in the days prior to being confirmed positive? God only knows how many additional cases are in Tokyo without further self isolation and prompt testing.

Safety means telework, not going to resturants, mauls, not life as normal. Or throw caution to the wind...be a statistic. All for personal choice so you choose?

There is no social distancing at all in any of the shopping centres and people are not using the sanitizer stations . I’m not touching anything unless I will buy . Complacency has started at the same time as the numbers have started to go up. I try to reassure that the numbers are still small for the population but I don’t think we are getting the full story . I am

starting to be concerned more than ever.

@Ashley Shiba

I have been writing and warning a friend of mine who works in the government they are prepared for numbers over a thousand and soon

No disrespect, but I don't think your friend in the government is any more informed than anyone else on this forum. The trend is pretty clear, and 1000 seems an inevitability, even since a few weeks ago. As for suppressing the numbers, that's entirely plausible and others here have suggested it for months. Unless your friend is directly involved in the suppression, I'm guessing they are merely speculating just like the rest of us.

SandyBeachHeaven

I still think the Japanese are doing a fabulous job. There were at least twenty people outside of Aeon Mall today in Tsuruma donating blood. Best way to get a free PCR test.

I walk for exercise because it is fun to explore areas at least three hours a day. See one ambulance and at most two. They are usually picking up very old people.

Japan knows what it is doing.

Tsuruma, as in Tsuruma in Nagoya?

Come to Tokyo and think again. You can put a 0 after that 2.

Almost a record on a day after a low day. Tomorrow it will be 4500 and the next three days will be almost 6000.

Forget about total positive numbers and how that is a fraction of the total population. What’s important is the test positivity percent. This is getting higher and higher. Dr. Fauci said anything over 3-4% is worrying. 16% positivity means they are missing a whole heck of a lot of people.

The number is the result of 5,545 tests conducted on Dec 26.

It must be a joke to them

Thanks for the informative posts @Vinke

Covid-19 data. From the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

https://stopcovid19.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/

Number of people hospitalized by COVID. Today, Tuesday December 29th is 2274 people.

Statistics for Dec 29, 2020（Day-over-day change: -29 persons）

And 1118 people. They are recovering in hotels that have been set up as health centers, for mild cases. 

Which are not included in the data provided by the hospitals. And they are offered separately.

Mild-moderate and Serious symptoms data. They are already included in the total number of people hospitalized. It should also be remembered that data on severe symptoms are already reflected in the Japan Today article. And there is no need to mention them again in the comments.

Patients hospitalized by COVID in Tokyo Prefecture, per 100,000 inhabitants. Today, Tuesday December 29 is 16,32 points. (Only patients admitted to hospitals are counted in this data. Those admitted to reconverted hotels are not included in this variable)

And 2768 people are recovering at home.

If we add up the patients who are in the hospitals. Those who are in the converted hotels and those who are recovering at home. In quality, of hospital discharge, that does not medicate. 

The total number of people with coronaviruses under medical care in Tokyo Prefecture is 6160.

And there are still 1492 people pending classification, awaiting PCR and antigen tests. And destination screening for the type of hospitalization.

This is today's data.

Not sure why people are dismise about a virus, might not be as virilant as nuroviris or the flu, but people are dying? It's not a conspiracy. It's really about just simply being safe.

Vinke

it may be Tsuruma in Yamato City

Kanagawa.

No disrespect, but I don't think your friend in the government is any more informed than anyone else on this forum. The trend is pretty clear, and 1000 seems an inevitability, even since a few weeks ago. As for suppressing the numbers, that's entirely plausible and others here have suggested it for months. Unless your friend is directly involved in the suppression, I'm guessing they are merely speculating just like the rest of us.

I agree. The same thing has been predicted on the news weeks ago. I'm assuming it'll happen in the next couple of days when the results for these last days before the holiday come out.

Here’s an example livestream (Kabuchiko) of why the age groups of infections breaks down with the youngest with the most cases:

https://youtu.be/xRvlP6IsnWg

Meh... the holiday is short only 5 day if your unlucky like me. What can I do in five days I guess I’ll game all holiday off. For those who were able to get longer Holiday you think they would camp at home and not travel? We for sure will see a rise in infection by next two weeks to come let’s hope it isn’t devastating.

And for those betting on the safety of the vaccinations, the WHO has a different view, "Once again, the WHO has stepped in to offer some confusing comments about the coronavirus vaccine, warning that there is "no evidence to be confident shots prevent transmission" and that people who receive the vaccine should continue wearing masks and following all social distancing and travel guidelines.

The comments were made by WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan during what appears to have been a virtual press conference held Monday."

Every day is a repeat, nothing changes for the good and the numbers are still low in comparison. I start to ponder covid and do not want to go in the direction of a Covid is fake/ denier. But I only see the news and where is all the true evidence? Do you see a pandemic and do you see ambulances all day long rushing the covid patient to ER? Not sure what is real anymore

I couldn’t agree more.

The downward trend in Osaka and Hokkaido is encouraging. I wish Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama could lower their numbers. It's obvious Tokyo will be the last to get infected numbers down. Fukuoka and Aichi are proving to be problem areas, too.

I'm hoping people stay home over New Year (though the above photo at Haneda airport isn't encouraging) and not go to shrines. With businesses closed for four days, it might help lower infections in Tokyo..

Oops, I was looking at early figures on NHK, But Hokkaido's numbers do seem to be going down.

Cricky: Safety means telework, not going to resturants, mauls

Unless you want to be eaten alive, play it safe, people. Remember, only YOU can prevent forest fires!

Do you see a pandemic and do you see ambulances all day long rushing the covid patient to ER? 

People who test positive don't need an ambulance. They go to the hospitals on their own. There, at the hospital, they will hopefully recover.

Every day is a repeat, nothing changes for the good and the numbers are still low in comparison. I start to ponder covid and do not want to go in the direction of a Covid is fake/ denier. But I only see the news and where is all the true evidence? Do you see a pandemic and do you see ambulances all day long rushing the covid patient to ER? Not sure what is real anymore

I still think the Japanese are doing a fabulous job. There were at least twenty people outside of Aeon Mall today in Tsuruma donating blood. Best way to get a free PCR test.

I walk for exercise because it is fun to explore areas at least three hours a day. See one ambulance and at most two. They are usually picking up very old people.

Japan knows what it is doing.

The trend is a little worrying, but 36000 active cases in a population of 120 odd million means Japan has it largely under control. Better decisions could have been made though.

Not bad for last Saturday's results. Japan is doing everything right.