Radio Havana Cuba | Japan exceeds 21 million cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus

TOKYO, Sept. 26 (RHC) Japan has surpassed 21 million infections with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, since the pandemic began on Monday, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) said.

Among Japan’s 47 prefectures, Tokyo (41807) had the highest infection rate, followed by Osaka (29,631), Kanagawa (23.530) and Aichi (23301), as determined by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

As for the deaths, the national total added another 631 cases and the total deaths came to 44,418 deaths from the disease.

Japan, with a population of more than 125 million, is facing a seventh pandemic wave in which the highly pathogenic strain BA.5 of microns prevails.

Despite the decrease in infections, the health system remains overburdened, which is why the government decided to move towards a new stage in the confrontation with Covid-19.

“We will proceed to prioritize the health care system for the elderly and those at risk of serious disease,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a news conference.

This decision aims to ease the administrative burden on medical institutions while simplifying the registration and admission protocols.

Kyodo reports that to maintain realistic statistics, hospitals must report young patients excluded from the new plan, who make up about 80 percent of positive cases since the Omicron attack. (Source: Latin Press)