Society

Infections surge as Japan enters holiday period

Aug 09 (NHK) - In Japan, coronavirus infections have been surging across the country. The number of new cases exceeded 15,700 on Saturday. It was a new record for the fourth straight day.

The capital, Tokyo, reported its second-highest daily case count.

The metropolitan government confirmed 4,566 new infections. It was the fourth day in a row that the figure has surpassed 4,000. Officials say 150 people are seriously ill.

Experts are expressing a sense of urgency and crisis.

Officials are calling on people to refrain from traveling across prefectural borders. This comes right at the start of the annual Bon holiday period, when people return to their hometowns.

A woman said, "My mother is living by herself, so I'm worried. I've been vaccinated and tested beforehand."

A man said, "I won't see anybody except my relatives. And I won't stay for long."

There has not been the kind of rush at train stations that usually happens at this time of year.

Highways and domestic flights have not been overly crowded either.

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