The number of new coronavirus infections in Tokyo increased for the first time in 11 weeks. According to the metropolitan monitoring meeting on the 30th, the average number of people for the week to the 29th was 812, 1.4 times the number of the previous week. As for the factors, experts pointed to the spread of new mutant strains, the holding of several events at the end of the financial year, and the weakening of the immune system of society as a whole. It is said that it is “extremely difficult” to predict whether the number will continue to increase in the future. (Chisato Miyake)
A monitoring meeting held by the Tokyo metropolitan government discussing the increase in the number of new coronavirus infections (provided by the metropolitan government on the 30th)
“It’s a little surprising how this number is increasing.” After the conference, Dr. Takao Omagari of the National Center for Global Health and Medicine told the press honestly.
During the last eight days, the number of infected people was greater than the number of infected people on the same day of the previous week, and on the 28th and 29th, the number was more than 1,000. There have been more than 1,000 people since March 1st.
In the past, the chance of contact increased during welcome and farewell parties and cherry blossom viewing, and the infection spread. Furthermore, three months have passed since the latest peak at the end of December, and the immunity of those infected and those vaccinated is declining.
Omagari said, “It is believed that the effective immunity of society as a whole is declining, so if things go in the wrong direction, the number of positive people could rise.”I don’t know,’ he said.
The current concern is the new mutant strain “XBB.1.5”. According to the results of genome analysis (all genetic information) in early March, BA.5, which has been the mainstay of patients in Tokyo since July last year, has surpassed for the first time to account for one fourth. Mitsuo Kaku, head of the Tokyo Center for Infectious Disease Control, warned, “It has an infectivity 1.43 times higher than BA.5, and it also has a strong ability to escape immunity. It is not a strain that easily causes serious illness, but we’ll be keeping a close eye on trends.” We leave
Is it related to the relaxation of the rules on wearing masks in the middle of this month that the number turned to increase at this time? Mr said. Omagari, “There are quite a few people in Japan who have worn them even after the relief. I don’t think there will be much effect.” He once again called for basic infection control measures such as wearing appropriate masks according to the situation, avoiding the three C’s, and regularly ventilating the room.
◆ 1 in 4 people have after effects of 2 months or more
At the monitoring meeting of the metropolitan government on the 30th, the results of a questionnaire were released showing that one in four people in Tokyo who had a history of being infected with the new coronavirus suffered aftereffects for two months or more.
In late February, 10,429 Tokyo residents responded to an online survey conducted by the Tokyo Infectious Disease Control Center. Of those, 19.6% said they were infected with the new coronavirus, and 25.8% of those who said they had symptoms that suggested repercussions for more than two months accounted for more than 500 people. Of these, 85% said they had difficulty in their daily lives, and 27.5% said they had missed work or school for a week or more.
Symptoms are fatigue,
The metropolitan government set aside 30 million yen in the supplementary budget for the new fiscal year as a cost to deal with repercussions. Expand the number of medical institutions that can examine after-effects and create leaflets for companies to deepen understanding of after-effects.
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