Tokyo reports 163 new coronavirus cases

What I find ridiculous (Ok, one of the many things, but I digress) about this 'Covid' testing is let's say you've tested negative. You could theoretically catch this 'disease' leaving the clinic on the way out. It's pointless on a monumental scale.

The purpose of testing is in general to know how is the control of the pandemic, and in each particular case if the contacts of the person have to be tracked or not. It is definitely not pointless.

If somebody has been in contact with a positive case obviously he will need to be in isolation until proved he was not infected, but that still means he had contact with other people before he was identified. What you can do is then begin a chain of isolation (and isolate the contacts of the contacts of the contacts ad infinitum) or test him, if he is negative it will mean he is not shedding viruses, so his contacts do not need to be isolated, but if he is positive then you track his contacts, notify them that they are at risk of infection and need isolation and test them. If you act soon enough you will quickly find out all contacts are negative (at least at that moment) and end up the chain isolating them.

Nothing changes in Japan. While there have been so many cases during the summer, Hong Kong had its worst wave AND managed to bring it down. Yesterday was the first day for a long time they had ZERO local cases. A quarter of the population have had tests. The Japanese authorities have shown themselves to be amateurs in comparison. In Hong Kong, there were still several imported cases yesterday, including one coming from Japan. They really don't need to open up to Japan so quickly.

They don't care. Nobody cares. Who knows what the reality is. Japan are just winging it. Pointless publishing it.

Yep, for example, NY State has reported an infection rate under 1% for the 35th straight day. But they've been testing more than 100,000 people a day, and for the 35th straight day, the # of positives has been less than 100

That's a big difference

What I find ridiculous (Ok, one of the many things, but I digress) about this 'Covid' testing is let's say you've tested negative. You could theoretically catch this 'disease' leaving the clinic on the way out. It's pointless on a monumental scale.

Absolutely agree ! It is ridiculous, pointless, in Japan expensive too.

I should have said amateur and cruel.

Lool duude anything else? =)

All we can do is mask up and protect ourselves the best that we can. No point in arguing or debating that's just the way it is.

Telling us how many new 'cases' there are feels really misleading. The number of cases entirely depends on the number of tests in the first place. If there were 0 tests there would be 0 new cases. In such a situation would "0 New Cases!" be newsworthy? Of course not, yet incorporating the same bizarre logic here we are with yet another 'update'.

What I find ridiculous (Ok, one of the many things, but I digress) about this 'Covid' testing is let's say you've tested negative. You could theoretically catch this 'disease' leaving the clinic on the way out. It's pointless on a monumental scale.

Lol.

Lets say it's indeed ridiculous if you've tested negative.

How about if you've tested positive?

I went to a clinic and the doctor told me I could take a pcr but not to bother because it was 38,000 yen. I had no symptoms.

If it's less than 100 won't NY report it as less than 0.1%?

You're right; my bad on an extra zero. It should read 10,000 people a day

Does the number really change how you behave? Did you decide (based on science?) that you personally would do x but not y is cases are z? Or is it ssdd..

 The number is the result of 1,004 tests conducted on Sept 13.

So less than half the number of tests, heck nearly a third, of conducted tests from the day before?

2,680 tests conducted on Sept 12.

 3,234 tests conducted on Sept 11.

 5,301 tests conducted on Sept 9.

 5,591 tests conducted on Sept 8.

They test less and less everyday, so OF COURSE, the numbers are going to go down.

However, there is a spot of good news..

The Tokyo metropolitan government on Thursday reported 171 new cases of the coronavirus, up eight from Wednesday. The number is the result of 5,905 tests conducted on Sept 14.

Even though the number is still up from the day before its the result of a SIGNIFICANTLY rise in the number of tests, so hey, at least that's something...

Yep, for example, NY State has reported an infection rate under 1% for the 35th straight day. But they've been testing more than 100,000 people a day, and for the 35th straight day, the # of positives has been less than 100

That's a big difference

If it's less than 100 won't NY report it as less than 0.1%?

i@n:

And how many people has Japan tested? It's next to impossible for the ordinary joe to get tested. Don't forget, HK is very crowded. Sometimes, you cannot avoid the crowds. And wearing masks is mandatory.

This latest wave in HK was most probably a result of making exemptions for airline crew, which was pretty stupid. But they learnt from this. Despite this, HK still allows foreign residents in because they are tested at the airport and quarantined. They allowed residents back in from day one, unlike Japan.

No, perhaps I shouldn't have said amateur. I should have said amateur and cruel.

Its all safe now within Tokyo! Masks off. Back to Office life, work, Gyms etc... Yippeee

Telling us how many new 'cases' there are feels really misleading. It depends on the number of tests in the first place. If there were 0 tests there would be 0 new cases. Would that be worthy of an article? Of course not, yet incorporating the same bizarre logic here we are with yet another 'update'.

Pointless publishing it.

Exactly.

As Miki Townsend mention, the testing policy is a complex subject.

Testing everyone is only viable if a strict lock down is applied, respected and tests results come quickly. It does not work otherwise because one has to wait for three days to get the results.

Some countries are beginning saliva test with a 20 minutes responses time. Positive tests can be followed with PCR testing to confirm the results.

While the policy of mass testing is relevant in the early stage of the pandemic, it is no more relevant unless control to the access is done properly. Some countries are now overwhelmed by tests and it takes 3 days to get the appointment and one week the results that is not productive and will not curb the disease.

The approach by Japan is appropriate but the issue is the ease of access to the tests. Doctors should not ask to wait for three days to get the test if they suspect an infection, they should be able to speed up the access to testing.

The positive testing rate below 5% indicate a pandemic is controlled per who guidelines. Below 1% this is a success. Japan is around 4%. Japan seems to want to control the pandemic until a vaccin developed instead of trying to “annihilate “ the virus. This is the weakness of the Japan approach.

A third wave is not unlikely from the end of October if faster testing is not made available for those who have symptoms from the first days not the fourth or fifth day.

That will be the only way to guarantee the olympics (as this is driving all decisions).

Just came back from a baseball game. The person in front was at least 65, the person next to me easily 75 , if the elderly are happy to keep enjoying life, I don't see why I shouldn't either.

Lower numbers mean less ill people so of course I hope it goes down.

But overall I really don't care about numbers anymore, japan isn't going to lockdown and people are going to continue living whatever the total

The "fear" downside is... if you get COVID... you're either going to DIE, or have LIFE LONG issues....

Nothing changes in Japan. While there have been so many cases during the summer, Hong Kong had its worst wave AND managed to bring it down. Yesterday was the first day for a long time they had ZERO local cases. A quarter of the population have had tests. The Japanese authorities have shown themselves to be amateurs in comparison. In Hong Kong, there were still several imported cases yesterday, including one coming from Japan. They really don't need to open up to Japan so quickly.

If number of tests is the basis all countries would probably be bumbling amateurs compared to the US.

In any case Japan has 601 cases per million population and 11 deaths per million population.

Hongkong has 664 cases per million population and 14 deaths per million population.

Not bad for amateur Japan =)

Telling us how many new 'cases' there are feels really misleading. It depends on the number of tests in the first place. If there were 0 tests there would be 0 new cases. Would that be worthy of an article? Of course not, yet incorporating the same bizarre logic here we are with yet another 'update'.

But that bizarre logic is your logic..

Most countries facing the brunt of 10000 plus per day.

we are safe until the Olympics

@ushosh123 - Great Question! Though as we all know "Statistically" the higher it is, the greater the "Chance" you have of catching it, and the lower, the less.... so.... what message is the reduced infection rate giving within a City of 10 Million ?

And, the LIFE LONG bit... has yet to be Scientifically researched.... yet.....

What I find ridiculous (Ok, one of the many things, but I digress) about this 'Covid' testing is let's say you've tested negative. You could theoretically catch this 'disease' leaving the clinic on the way out. It's pointless on a monumental scale.

These numbers are a joke. I use to look forward to them every day. It has no meaning other than to the globalization in control. This virus is probably a globalized propaganda to lock you Doya day deprrve all with humanity. Time will tell.

The number of infected people with severe symptoms is 23, unchanged from Tuesday, health officials said.

What does that number have to drop to so people can stop wearing masks wherever they go?

@Reckless

You know what is the big problem, and that is not only in Japan that is all over the world...

If you have Corona similar symptoms like fever or cough or whatever...you are at once judged by the people that you caught Corona. Even if you have really a flu or probably an allergy cough...people at once said, that is Corona!

Nobody is thinking about any other possible sickness anymore. People only think about Corona.

Even you Reckless, you think by yourself that you probably caught Corona.

This Ultra Paranoia according COVID 19, that is going around the world is absolutely crazy!