Tokyo reports 293 new coronavirus cases; nationwide tally 1,270

Regardless of COVID or not, it's getting colder now. Best to protect yourself by having adequate sleep, exercise and balanced eating habits. In the off-chance that you might be infected, having a weak immune system might complicate your recovery.

Zoroto

3,540 tests conducted on Nov 7.

Likely the 293 cases are form however many tests they conducted on Monday, which we will find out on Thursday. No way they did 3500 on a Saturday.

The 3540 was from yesterday (Friday's number of tests), these 293 are based on 3001 tests (Saturday).

(By the way, similarly sized Belgium and The Netherlands are performing about 40.000-60.000 tests per day, in case people are going to start comparing in order to claim Japan's superiority again).

yep if you go out to dinner or drinks make sure the establishment is well ventilated and have the door open so wear something warm and no complaining about being cold inside - keep your jacket on!

To all the foreigners commenting negatively every time total infections are announced, why are you on this board if you have such a negative view of Japan? No one is claiming that Japan is superior its just that population due to their intelligence listen to the recommendations and therefore this results in lowering the infection rates than other countries. Its not really rocket science.....

 Belgium and The Netherlands are performing about 40.000-60.000 tests per day,

In Japan, Since the pandemic started, A total of 2,575,560 people have been tested as of midnight, Nov. 8, 2020.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/11/2967979a10bf-coronavirus-outbreak-latest-nov-9-2020.html

So that means these 2 countries test more in a month than Japan has since the pandemic started. Also, France is apparently testing a million a day.

France tests in 3 days more than Japan has during the entire pandemic.

So now we know where the low numbers come from.

These are Tokyo numbers, so I am comparing Tokyo.

Well, I did, but indeed my point ;)

To all the foreigners commenting negatively every time total infections are announced, why are you on this board if you have such a negative view of Japan? No one is claiming that Japan is superior its just that population due to their intelligence listen to the recommendations and therefore this results in lowering the infection rates than other countries. Its not really rocket science.....

I think that's the thing: people aren't really doing do much against COVID because the government is making it look like the situation is not so bad here: there is Go To Travel, Go To Eat, and for me, living in Japan (for a long time now), am worried to not know the Corona situation in Japan, because it has not being documented to a meaningful extend. As for my post, I agree with you, people should listen to the recommendation and mask-wearing is going well here, but I am pointing to posters that are constantly saying Japan is doing so well compared to other countries, but the data is not comparable to many EU countries. Also, I believe this is not a game, there are no losers or winners, everyone is losing, people are dying. We should know the extend of the virus, and Japan due to low testing has always been putting the economy first and their people last. This kind of criticism is important.

Honestly Aly, it just doesn’t work like that. Testing for the sake of testing isn’t useful. Contact tracing is. You really should try talking to an epidemiologist.

Strangerland

You are right, but it really should be both: without enough testing there cannot be enough contact tracing, because people will also spread without being tested (obviously).

Honestly Aly, it just doesn’t work like that. Testing for the sake of testing isn’t useful. Contact tracing is. You really should try talking to an epidemiologist.

Yes but you can't do contact tracing without testing.

And what did the head of the WHO say? Test test test

Belgium and The Netherlands are performing about 40.000-60.000 tests per day

Which 50,000+ people should Japan be selecting each day to do testing?

Just wondering about practical matters.

You are right, but it really should be both: without enough testing there cannot be enough contact tracing, because people will also spread without being tested (obviously).

Um, this statement literally doesn’t make sense. You went on to say that I’m right, but then went on to say the same thing about blanket testing. It doesn’t appear you know contact testing works.

And what did the head of the WHO say? Test test test

I’m sorry, but you haven’t understood their directives if you think they have a blanket policy of just testing randomly.

@Aly

Nobody is listening to the WHO anymore. They completely failed during this pandemic.

But anyway...no need to worry...Vaccine is on its way.

Which 50,000+ people should Japan be selecting each day to do testing?

Just wondering about practical matters.

Japan should not select, the can be criteria, such as people who have been in contact with positively tested people, staff working in the hospitals, if they have symptoms (many EU countries write you can get tested if you have a runny nose, cold-like symptoms, are sneezing, have a sore throat, are coughing, have a fever, lose your sense of smell/taste, etc). And this in combination with free testing.

Um, this statement literally doesn’t make sense. You went on to say that I’m right, but then went on to say the same thing about blanket testing. It doesn’t appear you know contact testing works.

Well, I was trying to be nice to you, and say that indeed contact tracing is important, but there cannot be contact tracing if there is no testing. It literally makes sense.

Um, this statement literally doesn’t make sense. You went on to say that I’m right, but then went on to say the same thing about blanket testing. It doesn’t appear you know contact testing works.

what I said was you can't do contact tracing without testing.

I’m sorry, but you haven’t understood their directives if you think they have a blanket policy of just testing randomly.

they said test.

Well, I was trying to be nice to you, and say that indeed contact tracing is important, but there cannot be contact tracing if there is no testing. It literally makes sense.

They test the people who have been in contact with someone who has it. It’s not blanket testing. How would you increase the number of contact tests?

Nobody is listening to the WHO anymore. They completely failed during this pandemic.

I agree that they failed. But that was a political failure to get china to give important information. They were weak. But that doesnt take away from their medical knowledge.

But anyway...no need to worry...Vaccine is on its way.

Hope so. But its still going to take time to be approved and distributed. But the vaccine is truly good news

they said test.

Not randomized testing in an area where it’s under control they didn’t.

@Aly

But that doesn't take away from their medical knowledge.

I agree with that!

But its still going to take time to be approved and distributed. But the vaccine is truly good news

I agree with that too.

Not randomized testing in an area where it’s under control they didn’t.

You do random tests and you do contact tracing. Both go together. You cant do contact tracing without doing more tests

Nobody is listening to the WHO anymore. They completely failed during this pandemic.

Anyone else notice that the only group claiming this are from a single party in a single nation where their leader fouled it up so bad they want to place the blame on someone else?

Remember how that leader just got fired for that incompetence?

And the government sits on its hands and just hopes for the best, as usual.

You do random tests and you do contact tracing.

Then why do epidemiologists not say you need random testing when the virus is under control?

You cant do contact tracing without doing more tests

Why not?

Then why do epidemiologists not say you need random testing when the virus is under control

But it’s not under control here

You cant do contact tracing without doing more tests

Why not?

Because you also need to identify the super spreaders who are asymptomatic. And you may not get that only through contact tracing.

People are going to start getting too relaxed with anti-virus measures now that the news of the vaccine came out. We can expect to see a big increase in the number of infected people soon. The vaccine will do no good after the fact if you catch the virus.

I just cannot believe how little testing is done in Japan. It's as if they can't afford it financially. Or some other reason.

France tests in 3 days more than Japan has during the entire pandemic.

I was told by a French acquaintance that testing is free in France and available to anyone who wants it.

France is apparently testing a million a day. 

France tests in 3 days more than Japan has during the entire pandemic.

Check your figures. It is 200-250000 a day. Positive rate of 15-18%.

Still much more than Japan

I was told by a French acquaintance that testing is free in France and available to anyone who wants it.

Right, or reimbursement by insurance. And no need for symptoms. It also causes a Long delay before the results, I have heard 7-10 days in some cases

All these “ Japan isn’t testing posters”... You do know that ANYONE showing symptoms or who has had contact with someone with covid can easily get a test... a FREE test.

If there are “thousands of hidden cases” as you suggest... Just where are they hiding the dead and seriously ill?

Fasten your seat belts....

Japan should not select, the can be criteria, such as people who have been in contact with positively tested people, staff working in the hospitals, if they have symptoms (many EU countries write you can get tested if you have a runny nose, cold-like symptoms, are sneezing, have a sore throat, are coughing, have a fever, lose your sense of smell/taste, etc).

But isn’t Japan already doing all that?

It seems to me that there aren’t 50,000+ such people to test each day in Japan.

The US claims to have 10,000,000 infections now, but maybe Japan simply doesn’t have that many infections not because of a lack of testing but because if a lack of suspected / possible infections?

One might argue that places like New Zealand aren’t testing and its a secret disaster too, but maybe they don’t have much coronavirus there either.

It’s amusing that Japan has done a good job in flattening the curve which was the big cry earlier in the year, but is now criticized for not having enough evidently sick people so as to be comparable with places that didn’t flatten their curves very well at all.

go figure

Check your figures. It is 200-250000 a day. Positive rate of 15-18%.

Thank you for setting the record straight. I stand corrected.

Ah. Contrary to the successful gymnastic event - which will result in zero cases, as if by magic. Such protocols perhaps should be mandated throughout Tokyo, since it was so successful.

Only the all mighty knows how many people would test positive if the country carries out

200,000 tests daily.

If you have strong concern about the number of test, I think signature campaign is much more effective than making comments here. External pressure cannot be ignored.

Aly RustomToday  05:04 pm JST

You cant do contact tracing without doing more tests

Why not?

Because you also need to identify the super spreaders who are asymptomatic. And you may not get that only through contact tracing.

Many times various members of the panel of experts has said they believe asymptomatic people pose a low risk if everyone wears a mask.

Thus there is no need to test everyone.

You may disagree with this, but this isn't a cover up it's a medical policy.

they would look really dumb when they realized that at some point New Zealand had been testing much, much more than Japan.

Well, one would actually BE dumb for thinking such a thing, when even now there are active coronavirus cases in New Zealand, but "despite that" they aren't testing massive swathes of the population every day, as is suggested somehow be done here on some kind of basis, for the sake of boosting testing numbers.

They already had an outbreak just after their "100 days without infections" - so what is to say that they should not be somehow selecting 50,000 people a day for testing to make one set of numbers look good?

Come on, let's be serious. More than 200,000 people died in the US because of this disease.

Where are all the dead Japanese people? And if there aren't many Japanese people dying from this, then what does it suggest? For what purpose in Japan's context is this carpet-bomb style testing strategy required?

I think that's the thing: people aren't really doing do much against COVID because the government is making it look like the situation is not so bad here: there is Go To Travel, Go To Eat, and for me, living in Japan (for a long time now), am worried to not know the Corona situation in Japan, because it has not being documented to a meaningful extend.

Well, you might be able to keep the number of infections down by just not testing. But how about the severe cases that need to be hospitalized and the deaths?

You can't really keep their numbers low by ignoring them. Except, you start lying about the cause of death.

If the pandemic was as out of control as in Europe or US, the hospitals would be likewise at their limits? No matter how much or little you test.

And this policy of almost no testing has been going on from the beginning, but the health care system still isn't overwhelmed.

Can you believe that ? Japan is the only country in the universe that can tolerate the virus for so long at so low levels ? The only explanation of it is that Japan has already acquired Herd immunity !

The situation is fear is going to get worse and we are entering winter flu season and as a result more folks will screaming for help as they rush to the doctor under extreme parnoia that they are infact infected with COVID and finally they will get tested and more postives will show up overwall. Though, we want to keep the infection as low as possible. Lets see what happen in the comming weeks and hope for the best.

Can you believe that ? Japan is the only country in the universe that can tolerate the virus for so long at so low levels ? The only explanation of it is that Japan has already acquired Herd immunity

Just lucked out or down playing the seriousness of the covid or this fear mongering virus is just a cold strain that gives you the tiny sniffles? Who knows. We all don't know the truth.

the universe that can tolerate the virus for so long at so low levels ? The only explanation of it is that Japan has already acquired Herd immunity

That’s not what the scientists have determined. But anonymous internet poster who can only imagine a single possibility has more credibility than scientists. Carry on.

Obviously, the Olympics committee has to pay Japan for the cancellation of the game. Nothing is serious, the game could have been a successful one.

Many times various members of the panel of experts has said they believe asymptomatic people pose a low risk if everyone wears a mask.

Like who? can you please send me a link?

Thus there is no need to test everyone.

First of all, the fact of the matter is, people are going out to eat. When you do that you sit in proximity of each other and do not wear a mask. Another thing, many of the so called masks the staff at these establishments wear are those plastic see through ones which the experts at the CDC have said are not effective. So even if what you said above is true and I'm really curious to see who these experts are, its still not a sufficient reason not to test.

You may disagree with this, but this isn't a cover up it's a medical policy.

The olympics are the main reason for the lack of tests

But how about the severe cases that need to be hospitalized and the deaths?

You can't really keep their numbers low by ignoring them. Except, you start lying about the cause of death.

Unfortunately, this simple fact is beyond the understanding of many people.

Its been what 10 months?

I really thought no one is that dumb but here we are

But how about the severe cases that need to be hospitalized and the deaths?

You can't really keep their numbers low by ignoring them. Except, you start lying about the cause of death.

If you haven't identified someone has having covid in the FIRST PLACE, how then do you identify their death as covid related?? Duh.

Unfortunately, this simple fact is beyond the understanding of many people.

> I really thought no one is that dumb but here we are

My thoughts exactly

So there were low deaths in Australia as well as smallish waves there too, compared to other countries. So did Australia lie as well? were there many more cases and many more deaths? Just like the commentators are saying that Japan is fudging the numbers? or could it be that people there listened to the recommendations and it didn't explode. A lot of the commentators just cant accept the fact that this pandemic could of been semi controlled with preventative measures, there is the eye rolling reluctance to wear a mask and take simple precautions.

If you haven't identified someone has having covid in the FIRST PLACE, how then do you identify their death as covid related?? Duh.

Duh?

Start by showing the bodies.

Where are the dead bodies? There needs to be a dead body before we can consider the cause of death.

Is there an unusual rise in the number of deaths in Japan this year?

As for the upcoming flu season, thanks to everyone wearing masks and so forth, I anticipate fewer flu related deaths this season than usual. Just my anticipation, let's see what happens. I've had my flu shot anyways.

Start by showing the bodies.

Where are the dead bodies? There needs to be a dead body before we can consider the cause of death.

I agree. So we need to have autopsies to determine the cause of death.

Is there an unusual rise in the number of deaths in Japan this year?

probably not. there will be much less karoshi and car accidents due to people working from home. Doesn't tell us anything about covid though

As for the upcoming flu season, thanks to everyone wearing masks and so forth, I anticipate fewer flu related deaths this season than usual. Just my anticipation, let's see what happens. I've had my flu shot anyways.

Agree

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/dengue_fever_qa_00001.html#Q2-3

Aly here you are,

agree. So we need to have autopsies to determine the cause of death.

I believe that autopsies are already occurring as per usual - I have seen no evidence to suggest that autopsies are not being carried out.

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/dengue_fever_qa_00001.html#Q2-3

Aly here you are,

thank you for that link. It has a lot of info. But with all due respect, that doesn't change what I said before. that infections are occuring in establishments where it is impossible to wear a mask such as restaurants and bars.

elieve that autopsies are already occurring as per usual - I have seen no evidence to suggest that autopsies are not being carried out.

From what I've read, the're not

I believe that autopsies are already occurring as per usual - I have seen no evidence to suggest that autopsies are not being carried out.

Well, you've seen it now

Over half of Japan pathologists' requests for postmortem coronavirus tests rejected: survey

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200522/p2a/00m/0na/010000c

Because PCR tests are not being carried out sufficiently on deceased patients, there are concerns that the number of people who have died from COVID-19 is actually higher than reported. Kondo said, "If a cause of death cannot be ascertained, then accurate coronavirus death rates cannot be obtained."

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200522/p2a/00m/0na/010000c

Too many conspiracy theorists on this board. It not Japans fault that Europe or the USA's population does not listen so just because they are doing badly so must be everyone else yeah no sorry.

So no answers?

Where are they hiding the serious cases and dead?

If there are thousands of hidden cases ... Where are they?

Aly, nice article from May - not sure if circumstances have changed since - but in any case is there a remarkable increase in deaths that could be put down to coronavirus infections, even if autopsies were missing them?

(not extra deaths put down to suicide as a result of the situation, although we should be very concerned with that situation as well)

The article talked of a small number of cases, 12 from 20-odd.

I’m no Covid denier, but I just struggle to have the impression that this is a far more major situation than daily reports suggest, and it does seem Japan is doing far better than certain other places.

not sure if circumstances have changed since - but in any case is there a remarkable increase in deaths that could be put down to coronavirus infections, even if autopsies were missing them?

well maybe. but it can also be due to the population decline which is accelerating at an exponential rate... then there are other external factors such as karoshi deaths declining due to work from home, influenza deaths declining due to increased care of health.. the list goes on.

I’m no Covid denier, but I just struggle to have the impression that this is a far more major situation than daily reports suggest, and it does seem Japan is doing far better than certain other places.

Fair enough. I'm not denying the possibility that Japan IS in fact doing better than other places. I'm merely saying that due to the lack of testing, we cannot make that determination.

Hope we can agree on that brother.

And thanks for keeping the conversation civil and friendly.