Japan COVID-19 Cases Surpass 50,000... Will This Week's 'Obon Festival' Be a Turning Point?

Acceleration in the Increase of Confirmed Cases
Infection Trends to Be Monitored After Japan's Chuseok, Obon Festival

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] The cumulative number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Japan has surpassed 50,000.

According to foreign media in Japan, as of 4 p.m. on the 10th (local time), the number of new confirmed cases announced by local governments was 491, including 197 in Tokyo. This brings the total cumulative confirmed cases to 50,113, including 712 passengers of the cruise ship "Diamond Princess," which experienced a cluster infection while docked at Yokohama Port last February.

It has been about seven months since the first confirmed case was announced on January 16, and Japan's cumulative confirmed cases have now reached the 50,000 mark. Moreover, it took only one week to rise from the 40,000 range recorded on the 3rd to the 50,000 range, showing an accelerating trend in the overall increase of confirmed cases.

However, the Japanese government led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is maintaining a policy of suppressing the spread of infection while sustaining socio-economic activities, without responding with a state of emergency that restricts outdoor activities. In Tokyo, where the highest number of confirmed cases in Japan occurs, the number fell below 200 for the first time in two weeks on this day.

In particular, since this week coincides with the Obon holiday, the number of tests conducted may have been lower than actual demand, so it is expected that the true state of infection improvement will become clearer after observing the trend further. Obon is a holiday similar to Korea's Chuseok, where people return to their hometowns to visit ancestral graves and spend time with family. Although it is not a legal public holiday, many take several days off around August 15 in the solar calendar. Most office workers take summer vacations during this period.

Meanwhile, as of this day, the cumulative number of deaths is 1,061, and the number of severe cases relying on ventilators and other equipment is 156.