Experts Warn of Explosive Rise in Coronavirus Cases in Tokyo

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)--Medical experts warned on Thursday of the risk of Tokyo seeing an explosive increase in coronavirus cases, calling for utmost prevention measures. The Japanese capital confirmed a record high of 888 new cases on Thursday. The seven-day average of new cases climbed to 616.7 on Wednesday from 513.1 a week before. Coronavirus hospitalizations hit a record 2,154 on Monday. The situation is expected to become intolerable for the capital's medical care system during the year-end and New Year's period, Masataka Inokuchi, deputy chair of the Tokyo Medical Association, said at the metropolitan government's coronavirus monitoring meeting. The medical care system is likely to have "serious dysfunctions," leaving hospitals unable to accept seriously ill coronavirus patients, Inokuchi said. Hospitals are already limiting emergency patients and surgeries to secure enough beds for those with severe coronavirus symptoms, he said. The metropolitan government raised the minimum age of infected people subject to treatment at hotels and other accommodations from 65 to 70 if they have no underlying health condition. END