Dec 10 (NHK) - Japanese authorities reported more than 2,700 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday. That's a record daily tally. The healthcare system is threatening to buckle under the weight of the spike.
Medical teams from the Self-Defense Forces have begun assisting frontline workers at two facilities in the country's north hit with cluster infections.
Five SDF nurses will engage in the mission for two weeks at a hospital where nearly 200 people were confirmed to be infected.
The other team is assisting frontline workers at a welfare facility where 60 infections were confirmed.
The head of the government's expert panel is warning some areas are in a dire situation, though he says another nationwide state of emergency declaration is not necessary at this stage.
Government panel chief Omi Shigeru said, "Medical systems in Asahikawa City and other areas are under tremendous strain. Certain regions are in a critical period."
Tokyo reported 572 new cases on Wednesday. That's the second highest record. 59 COVID-19 patients in the capital are currently in serious condition.
Officials in Osaka say 70 percent of hospital beds allocated for serious cases are occupied. They are calling on university hospitals to secure more beds for serious cases.
More than 170,000 people have tested positive for the virus in Japan since the pandemic began. Over 2,400 people have died.
