Tokyo hit another six-month high in new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, one day before the Olympics begin, as worries grow of a worsening of infections during the Games.
Thursday’s 1979 new cases are the highest since 2044 were recorded on January 15.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is determined to hold the Olympics, placed Tokyo under a state of emergency on July 12, but daily cases have sharply increased since then.
The emergency measures, which largely involve a ban on alcohol sales and shorter hours for restaurants and bars, are to last until August 22, after the Olympics end on August 8.
OLYMPICS LIVE BLOG: PRELIMINARY DAY 2 UPDATES
Japan has reported about 853,000 cases and 15,100 deaths since the pandemic began, most of them this year.
Still, the number of cases and deaths as a share of the population are much lower than in many other countries.
The Olympics, delayed for a year by the pandemic, begin on Friday.
Spectators are banned from all venues in the Tokyo area, with limited audiences allowed at a few outlying sites.
Brisbane wins 2032 Olympics
Suga’s government has been criticised for what some say is prioritising the Olympics over the nation’s health.
His public support ratings have fallen to around 30 per cent in recent media surveys, and there has been little festivity ahead of the Games.
On Thursday, the director of the opening ceremony, Kentaro Kobayashi, was dismissed over a past Holocaust joke.
In Olympics-related diplomacy, Suga was to meet with US first lady Jill Biden on Thursday and have dinner at the state guest house.
Meet the megastars of the Tokyo Games: Part One
Earlier in the day, he was visited by World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Emperor Naruhito also received a courtesy visit from International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach at the Imperial Palace.
Naruhito said he hoped all athletes will compete in good health and achieve their best performances.
Bach said the Olympic community is doing its best not to pose any risk to the Japanese.
Experts say virus infections among unvaccinated people younger than age 50 are rising sharply.
Japan’s vaccinations began late and slowly, but the pace picked up in May as the government pushed to accelerate the drive before the Olympics, though the pace has since slowed due to a shortage of imported vaccines.
About 23 per cent of Japanese are fully vaccinated, way short of the level believed necessary to have any meaningful effect on reducing the risk in the general population.
Experts warned on Wednesday that infections in Tokyo are likely to continue to worsen in coming weeks.
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
