garth comments

the UK's getting exactly what it voted for

Roughly 17.5 million people voted for Brexit, leaving not only themselves but also the other 50 million of the population to face a bleak future.

only the most fanatic Trump haters would believe this nonsense

No, only the most fanatic Trump supporters would disbelieve this entirely credible story. (And after all these years I still don't understand how anyone with even a modicum of intelligence can be a Trump supporter.)

Ashley, there are of course various other factors involved in transmission than just humidity. The gathering in large groups and partying that you mention are known factors in transmission if there's no so-called 'social distancing,' even in summer. The problem with winter is that people are indeed indoors more than in the summer, in very dry, poorly ventilated spaces - poorly ventilated to keep out the cold - and people who aren't lucky enough to be able to spend all their time at home are doubtless going to be exposed to more airborne transmission. Of course, we could say that relatively dry, poorly ventilated air-conditioned spaces in summer should have much the same effect, so we'll just have to wait and see how all of this balances out.

@Spitfire 04:02pm

Unfortunately no. Recent research (Google "humidity and COVID-19") has made it clear that humidity is a far more important factor than temperature. In humid conditions as in the Japanese summer the moisture in the air enlarges respiratory droplets so that they fall to the ground more quickly, whereas when the air is dry as it is in winter in Japan, respiratory droplets can remain airborne for much longer and so facilitate airborne transmission.

I see no good reason not to believe the story. After four years the world has come to expect nothing better from this vile sub-human creature.

To those interested in the testing numbers and positive rates:

Date: Positives/Tests Percent positive

8/9: 331/5237 6.3%

8/10: 197/3243 6.0%

8/11: 188/3431 5.4%

8/12: 222/1293 17.1%

8/13: 206/1699 12.1%

8/14: 389/6561 5.9%

8/15: 385/5426 7.0%

8/16: 260/5034 5.1%

8/17: 161/2780 5.7%

[Data from the metropolitan website]

To the optimists here (or maybe they're being sarcastic), the 161 positives are from a truly pathetic 2780 tests.

@Goodlucktoyou

They're not testing patients' DNA. The test obtains DNA produced by reverse transcription of viral RNA.

the government has no intention to request people [to] refrain from traveling

The government is insane.

"We want to create a situation in which people feel it is safe to visit Tokyo," [Koike] said.

Good luck with that!!

when the Feds are on your tail then it's game over

Why? He's safe enough in Lebanon (and would be in France or Brazil), unless you perhaps expect the CIA to engage in the notorious practice of irregular rendition and spirit him away?

Very high conviction rate

You mean higher than the Japanese 99% conviction rate?

What other conclusion can one draw?

1) That cases might have gone up even further without them.

2) That if people didn't visit the nightlife districts to take off their masks to eat, drink and be merry there might be fewer cases.

far less likely to show symptoms if they are younger and healthy.

And therefore far more likely to pass it on to people who are less young and healthy.

The very idea is insane.