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Updated October 18th, 2021 at 12:39 IST

Japan shows high COVID recovery in a fortnight after Olympics; Tokyo reports 49 cases

Two weeks after emergency restrictions were finally lifted, Japan has plummeted from reporting thousands of daily cases to below 100.

Reported by: Dipaneeta Das
Japan
IMAGE: AP (representative) | Image:self
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Japan has displayed a remarkable recovery from COVID-19 within two months after the Tokyo Olympics concluded. Two weeks after emergency restrictions were finally lifted, Japan has plummeted from reporting thousands of daily cases to below 100 in a row, the Associated Press reported. The sudden recovery rate has reportedly induced a spirit of freedom among the general public in Tokyo and other parts of the country.

As per the Japanese heath bulletin, on Monday, Tokyo reported 49 cases. Meanwhile, total cases in the country were reported to be 369, marking it to be the lowest since June. Such instances arose after a horrific daily caseload of 5,773 on August 13, a day after Tokyo closed Olympics 2020. The nationwide caseload at that point topped 25,000 daily.

A drop in COVID cases

Clarifying the difference between rapid recovery and drop in cases, Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Center Director Norio Ohmagri stated that the people during Tokyo Olympics were subjected to low-ventilated spaces, which could have led to coming in contact with the infection and recovering from it, thereby growing natural immunity. Meanwhile, the steep drop in cases could also be a result of lowered testing, Masataka Inokuchi, Deputy Chief of Tokyo Medical Association said.

Temporary condition

According to the news agency, possible reasons behind the low infection could be a robust vaccination campaign undertaken by the Japanese government. Additionally, the spread of the virus was also concealed by the widespread practice of wearing masks even before the pandemic. Moreover, bad weather, including rain and mudslides in late August, around the same time the Delta virus spiked infection rates in the country, pushed people back into homes.

"Rapid and intensive vaccinations in Japan among the younger than 64 might have created temporary conditions similar to herd immunity," Professor of virology, Dr. Kazuhiro Tatedo told the news agency.

However, the drastic drop in infection rates has led experts to mull over the period when the vaccines begin to gradually wane followed by approaching winter. As reported by the news agency, despite the influx being stemmed before the robust vaccine programs, there could be a resurgence of COVID-19 cases just like the summers. Meanwhile, the said experts have also applauded Japan's inoculation campaigns and people's zeal to get vaccinated, which has led to nearly 70 per cent of the population being fully jabbed by now.

(With inputs from AP)

(Image: AP/representative image)

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Published October 18th, 2021 at 12:39 IST

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