Advisory panel: Infections spreading nationwide

Jul 15, 2020 | News On Japan

Jul 15, 2020 (NHK) - An advisory panel of experts to Japan's health ministry warns that coronavirus infections are continuing to spread throughout the country.

In a meeting on Tuesday, the 15-member panel said the case count is increasing among older people in Tokyo, and some cases outside the capital may have been caused by people who traveled to and from Tokyo.

The members said the ratio of untraceable cases is rising, and there is no denying that infections are no longer limited to specific places or regions.

As for medical services, they agreed that there are enough beds for patients who need intensive care. But they pointed out the need to secure beds and healthcare staff to treat patients with milder symptoms.

The panel said virus tests are being provided to those who need them.

The members urged people not to go to work or school if they have a fever, and to make sure that they take preventive measures such as avoiding poorly ventilated, crowded places, washing hands and wearing masks.

The panel leader, Wakita Takaji, told reporters that some of the experts argued that the situation is better than in March and April because of a slower pace of infections, but others called for tougher measures.

Wakita said they concluded that they need to keep monitoring the situation.

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