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No. of new coronavirus cases in Tokyo falls to 95

53 Comments

The Tokyo metropolitan government on Monday reported 95 new cases of the coronavirus, down from 212 on Sunday. It was the first time since July 8 that the number of reported infections in the capital had been below 100.

The cases were the results of 2,900 tests, health officials said. Of the total, 54 are in their 20s and 30s.

The tally brought Tokyo's cumulative total to 19,428.

The number of infected people with severe symptoms requiring hospitalization is 38, one down from Sunday, health officials said.

Nationwide, the number of reported cases was 464. After Tokyo, the prefectures with the most cases were Osaka (60), Fukuoka (51), Kanagawa (39), Chiba (27) and Okinawa (22).

Nine deaths were reported.

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53 Comments
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@Reckless

I agree, but I guess the numbers will highly increase after the tourist travel with China will resume.

I wait for the vaccine.

-14 ( +7 / -21 )

Well the numbers didn't explode like many have been predicting. This is good news, lets hope it continues.

5 ( +17 / -12 )

The cases were the results of 2,900 tests, health officials said. Of the total, 54 are in their 20s and 30s.

Hope the number of test performed will be stated consistently not only when it is felt like which

has been the norm, like in this case to hammer the message that it has decreased or is decreasing.

Meanwhile, the number of test for yesterdays result is still not out, why is it taking so long to be updated

on the Tokyo city website ?

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Fewer people get tested on weekends, so this number was always going to be low - but the trend is going in the right direction. Where are all the doom merchants on this site that said that Tokyo would be in the thousands of cases?

-12 ( +8 / -20 )

Yeah right...

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

Did it just happen by magic? What was the reason for the decline?

If you think about it logically, it's the only country in the world where this is able to happen without some actual measures being put in place.

6 ( +15 / -9 )

@Munty

What was the reason for the decline?

The best personal prevention of the japanese people, like WEARING Masks, use sanitizers, washing hands...keep social distance where it is possible...

Such things!

-15 ( +7 / -22 )

Monty

The best personal prevention of the japanese people, like WEARING Masks, use sanitizers, washing hands...keep social distance where it is possible...

You forgot to mention activities that help bring down the numbers such as Go-to-travel , Karaoke, Izakaya, host clubs, pachinko, sports club, school sports activities, nomikais, barbecue parties, crowded trains and a host of other things.

10 ( +16 / -6 )

@Munty

What was the reason for the decline?

The best personal prevention of the japanese people, like WEARING Masks, use sanitizers, washing hands...keep social distance where it is possible...

Such things!

I know right, like randoms on the Internet know everything.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

And then the usual question, how many tests?

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

The best personal prevention of the japanese people, like WEARING Masks, use sanitizers, washing hands...keep social distance where it is possible...

Half the Japanese people who were in the 7-11 I was in less than 30 mins ago weren't wearing masks and they certainly weren't observing social distancing. No matter the local shops I go, there are always a substantial percentage not doing what minty says they are so good at doing.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Before anybody starts rejoicing let’s wait and see how the rest of the week progresses.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

@blvtzpk,

I fully agree, it's nice to see others have noticed that the Japanese are also not perfect and just human like the rest of us and also make mistakes and don't always follow rules.

I've also noticed an overly relaxed attitudes towards mask wearing lately too!!!

Stay safe Tokyo and let's keep trying to better our situation!

1 ( +6 / -5 )

One data point isn't a trend either :)

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Did the fax machines run out of paper again?

One data point isn't a trend either :)

Very True.

Good news if true, but I am still worried about an Obon holiday surge as the incubation period hits.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

The best personal prevention of the japanese people, like WEARING Masks, use sanitizers, washing hands...keep social distance where it is possible...

No it's because of the ridiculous low number of tests. 2,900 tests, this is laughable. There is absolutely no rational reason to go from 212 infections to 95 in a single day besides a significant lower number of tests.

Stop with your silly adoration of Japanese you are ridiculous. I can still see every single day Japanese dudes coming out of toilet and not washing their hands (I hear that women do that too, maybe a female reader can confirm). I see very single day people pulling down their masks by touching it on the front side (which is totally wrong) and putting it back and not washing their hands. I see every day people in restaurants pulling their mask down that way before to eat and then start to eat without washing their hands. Nice hygiene yeah.....

Here is a poll done a few years ago that demonstrated the hand hygiene problem of Japanese. Just to put you outside of the distorted world you are living in:

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000017.000014710.html

7 ( +13 / -6 )

It's been the Monday norm for a while to see a drop in numbers due to most clinics being closed on Sundays.

Midweek figures are a better indicator

Moderator: These are not the results of tests done on Sunday.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

The cases were the results of 2,900 tests, health officials said.

Hallelujah!

Now please do this every time, not just when the number is low.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Moderator: These are not the results of tests done on Sunday.

No. They are the numbers for August 21st.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

People are not wearing masks because it is hot and humid. Masks are unbearable and not needed in open situations.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

daito_hakToday 05:54 pm JST

No it's because of the ridiculous low number of tests. 2,900 tests, this is laughable. There is absolutely no rational reason to go from 212 infections to 95 in a single day besides a significant lower number of tests.

You still don't get it, do you?

The number of tests initiated and the number of infections are tightly related since tests are not done randomly, only given to people who shows symptoms are gets tested.

In other words, if there are only little amount of people who are showing symptoms then the number of test will decrease leading to less people confirmed positive to the test.

Meaning it is a good thing since less people are feeling ill requiring a test.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

I understand the view that Japan's testing regime is inadequate, however the decline in test numbers is due to less people presenting with symptoms or being identified via contact tracing. I agree that the raw number itself is misleading as to the rate of decline, however the proportion of positive results to tests conducted is also declining, so I think it is fair to note a downward trend (not necessarily as large a downward trend as some may claim though). The issue is that the way these reports are presented leads to a kind of panic/celebratory cycle and in lieu of a comprehensive strategy there is nothing to stop the numbers going up again when people let their guard down as they did last time the numbers dropped (i.e. after the SoE).

0 ( +3 / -3 )

@Tiring

You are one of the rare persons, who really understand the situation.

If people are not feeling sick, they dont go to hospital.

Only sick feeling people will go to hospital and will get tested.

And it is exactly like you said:

Meaning it is a good thing since less people are feeling ill requiring a test.

-8 ( +6 / -14 )

Triring

The number of tests initiated and the number of infections are tightly related since tests are not done randomly, only given to people who shows symptoms are gets tested.

Completely wrong, where did you get that from?

If that's the case how have they been testing and saying most of the 20s, and 30s

showed no symptoms. They happened to be tested because they suspected to be

part of a cluster or working in the redlight district when they were testing in shinjiku.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

The focus should be on the active numbers, especially at healthcare front line (for serious patients under treatment). Otherwise it's futile to swing our emotions with daily ups-or-downs reports.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

drlucifer:

Completely wrong, where did you get that from?

If that's the case how have they been testing and saying most of the 20s, and 30s

showed no symptoms. They happened to be tested because they suspected to be

part of a cluster or working in the redlight district when they were testing in shinjiku.

Exactly this.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

I understand the view that Japan's testing regime is inadequate, however the decline in test numbers is due to less people presenting with symptoms or being identified via contact tracing

The decline is not because of less people with symptoms showing up for testing

The welfare centers are the reason for the low number of tests and so far as they

have to decide who gets tested and who doesn't the number of tests will remain.

Except you fork out the 30K to 40K and do a test in a private clinic without a welfare

center referral.

The number of test has increased during this 2nd phase because private clinics can now do tests something that wasn't possible during the first phase.

Compare data of the number of inquiries made to the welfare centers and number of test performed to see

the wide disparity.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

It is really sad to see, that as lower the numbers get, as more dissapointed many of the posters here are.

Are you all wishing so deeply that the numbers in Japan grows very high?

What is wrong with you people?

-9 ( +8 / -17 )

Watched a bit of CNN this morning and they were doing stories of some of those who have died. No offense, but the 3 or 4 who were featured (and died between about 45-52 years old) were all huge people (over 130kg). It would seem that this must be one of the main reasons that most of Asia has escaped the shocking number of deaths in Europe, the US and the UK.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Finally, some people posting who understand the screening/testing guidelines/relationship.

The number of tests is a function of number of people who undergo screening.

Isnt it more plausible than the arbitrary setting of the number of tests which to be implemented successfully requires that the whole healthcare system to be in on the conspiracy?

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Unfortunately, I do not know of any recent reporting as to the availability of or access to testing. I can say, anecdotally, I have been tested twice on my own request based on presenting with only a low grade fever (37·5 - 37.9) between June and August. Both times were negative results thankfully. While it wasn't exactly easy, I didn't run up against any overt resistance from the health center or hospitals. Again, I do think testing should be widely available and that infections are under-reported; however I do not believe there is a conspiracy to mask infections and that a downward trend in the reporting we do have is indicative of a wider trend. Again, anecdotally, I have observed most people in my community are taking increased measures to avoid community spread. Not everyone, as you note, but an increased proportion, which would impact numbers. As I said, I think as numbers drop, especially as that drop that will change. But I believe, for now, there has been a decline.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Some people seem disappointed, its almost like they would rather be a thousand cases and right, than 95 cases and wrong.

It was always in two weeks(wrong)

Then the government was hiding deaths (wrong)

Now, its downward testing

Your conspiracies are getting tiring

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

I agree that we must be vigilante.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

If the hysterics are to be believed then there should have been tens of thousands of infected requesting to be tested but because the number of tests is fixed, just summarily rejected and turned away to infect more.

Even total compliance to mask wearing and hand sanitizing isn't likely to prevent an explosion of cases in this scenario.

And this should have been happening for what 8 months, 9 months now?

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Whether it's one case or one-thousand cases. It doesn't matter. They are just cases.

Live life people. Live life.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Why don't they just change the headline to the numbers tested each day? Something like 'Tests fall by 50% compared to yesterday'. What they do with these articles is just noise. Btw, according to this site https://toyokeizai.net/sp/visual/tko/covid19/en.html

4830 were tested on the 18th, and 1978 on 21st (latest figure they give on this site).

It would be more meaningful to give a 7 day average to iron out the daily fluctuations in numbers tested, so at least it would give a sense of a trend.

With scattershot data like this, it just become a ritual of trying to explain the numbers, rather than the numbers giving us useful information.

I would like to know what is happening with contact tracing and isolation? Have these been ramped up to deal with the increasing exposure that comes from reopening schools and other places?

I saw a random fact dropped by Koike a day or two ago that household transmission is on the increase. So if that is the case, which sounds plausible, what is being done to respond to that trend?

4 ( +8 / -4 )

It would be more meaningful to give a 7 day average to iron out the daily fluctuations in numbers tested, so at least it would give a sense of a trend.

Toyokeizai and metro.tokyo do provide moving averages data, probably the other source sites also

2 ( +4 / -2 )

It would be more meaningful to give a 7 day average to iron out the daily fluctuations in numbers tested, so at least it would give a sense of a trend.

Eeeerr... it wouldn't be more meaningful . If sense of a trend is what you are struggling with then just trust me, we are past the peek and going down.

Why ? No one really can tell with any level of certainty but it might very well be along the masks and social distancing and lines.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

complain

you’ve asked for testing numbers, hospitalization... still complaining

lazy

there are many sites dedicate to covid19. this is briefed news site.

unhappy

numbers up not happy

numbers down still not happy

0 ( +8 / -8 )

I’m all for seeing the back of COVID-19. I’d be more than happy if it disappeared from Japan, a country in which I have lived for many, many years. I’d also like to see it gone from my original hometown. I’m not enamored about having to observe all the precautions, but I do so in the hope that I am doing my small part to help the spread of the virus.

What I’m not pleased about is pretending that the entire population of Japan is onboard with precautions. There is no excuse for people to wander into stores without wearing a mask or to observe social distancing, but, as I wrote earlier, I see plenty of citizens who don’t care, and who flout general, current social rules.

And it’s not the half-hearted mask half down the face; it’s no mask whatsoever. And these are people traveling by car who can keep a mask (or masks) in the car and put one on before entering a shop or business. That’s what I do. It’s not that hard!

The pure laziness and irresponsibility of non-observers is maddening.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

as_the_crow_flies:

It would be more meaningful to give a 7 day average to iron out the daily fluctuations in numbers tested, so at least it would give a sense of a trend.

Tokyo metropolitan government shows both:

https://stopcovid19.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/cards/positive-rate/

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@Tobias J Gibson

You're very lucky. It seems to vary wildly by area. I've been sick and was recommended to isolate at home because I had 'strong symptoms resembling COVID-19'. But they are, as a rule, not testing here unless you have confirmed contact with a positive case. So basically the only people who've been able to get tested are those who were visited by relatives, returned to their home prefecture, felt sick, and tested positive, then notified their relatives living here.

They've only collected samples from 478 people for PCR testing. Since February. It's disgraceful.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

It's very telling that when numbers go up, people freak out, and when numbers go down, people still freak out.

The real reason there hasn't been much of a change of actitud since march is because people are still welded to these news, in a perpetual state of panic.

The goal post keeps changing, because the goal post isn't real, it is just a rationalization to continue to freak out.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

@Reckless @Fiddlers you two expressed my sentiments exactly. Not just today, but for what I’ve been saying all along regarding this. It’s nice to see some other people also take up the mantle.

Because as more awareness gets out, and as the numbers spike, people become more self-aware. This leads to a drop in numbers. and when a vaccine comes (or several from what I’ve been hearing) we won’t have to worry about this anymore. But until then, let’s be calm, be rational, and use good judgment and common sense.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The Tokyo metropolitan government on Monday reported 95 new cases of the coronavirus, down from 212 on Sunday.

What day is this data from? The Mainichi reports that there is a a three-day lag for Tokyo reporting its data:

*It takes one to two days to obtain results from the virus-detecting polymerase chain reaction tests. A time lag occurs as medical institutions then create reports on new infections and fax them to public health centers in the capital, and the metropolitan government compiles the data sent in by each public health center.*

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Serendipitous1...... Obesity is the leading factor in serious covid cases in Europe. 74% of UK deaths have been over weight or obese. The media often highlights a story about a young person with no underlying health conditions losing their life to covid-19. Then you see their photo and they are the size of a house.

Hopefully, when this pandemic is over the western world can focus on its biggest health problem... excessive chubbiness!

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Why do people keep blathering on about the number of tests?

Its really very very simple. They are only testing those with symptoms or those who have been in contact with actual cases of covid-19. As should be the case.

Is the number of HIV cases real? How many tests are they doing? Typhoid? How many tests?

If you want a test, you can get one at many clinics...¥30,000 is all it takes. Make yourself happy!

But the result is only for the day of the test, you could get the virus the very next day!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

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