Okinawa reports 1,759 new coronavirus cases; 1,224 in Tokyo

Spreading quickly. Sad.

If what is happening everywhere else is anything to go on, we are in for a rough-but-manageable couple of months as this thing spreads exponentially but doesn’t cause hospitalizations and deaths to spike as badly as previous waves. At least I hope that is how it goes, South Africa and the UK seem to have already put the worst of it behind them without the worst case scenarios playing out, which is encouraging.

Before the anti-American blame rears its head again this evening, let’s recall Japan’s first ‘publicized’ case of Omicron was Dec 17, 2021 in Tokyo with a Japanese national who broke quarantine immediately to entertain a visit from a boyfriend. He later infected his family and attended a soccer event. PM Kishida has stressed its impossible at this stage to determine specific origins of the current surge despite Okinawa’s Gov Denny wanting to point ‘solely’ at U.S. military.

The number of infected people hospitalized with severe symptoms in Tokyo is four, up one from Friday,

The nationwide figure is 89, down two from Friday.

(these should be the headlines instead of ones with thousands of cases listed. Would be like alarming people by saying one six-pack of beer costs over a thousand! (oh, that's in yen, not Euros or dollars)

almost a 1500% increase from last Saturday - this is after a 1000% increase yesterday.

So, how about last week same day?

Last week, Saturday, was 79.

Kishida is not blaming SOFA personal trying to come in and get to work at their new duty stations and job.

No one is blaming America. Its just the news, the numbers are increasing and spreading in these two kens.

It just goes to show you the evolution of this pathogen in any mutated state or form is still very unknown.

Many unknowns.

The good news is just on the horizon. Soon. Faith. Have to believe!

No ones dying from the virus whose healthy or vaccinated.

We just need to keep doing our part. Everything is flawed. Everything is also temporary. This too shall pass.

Lets welcome in the new members of American counter parts with open arms and work together to find solutions and preventive measures to stop the spread.

Better leadership is needed if anything. That's the real complaint of Kishida. Especially with the new monetary increases to have American forces' here working with Japan to keep a free democratic country. Draconian of course, but pretty much free. And very peaceful.

Chotto ne, ganbarimashou!

How about this: Percentage of people in Tokyo that have tested positive = 0.00874%

Percentage of people in Tokyo with severe symptoms = 0.00002%

Sorry, I didn't realize the entire population of Tokyo has been tested.

the current surge despite Okinawa’s Gov Denny wanting to point ‘solely’ at U.S. military.

Only thing he is capable of doing.

"how many of these new cases are already vaxxed?"

If you read the link in the article, it would tell you 565 out of 1224 new cases were double vaxxed and 327 non-vaxxed.

and covid hospital bed occupancy now in tokyo is 8% and serious cases occupancy 0.6%... if you are curious about these details... trust it or not is up to you.

I am only sharing available information about this situation.

Yeah, and I heard it snowed here in Okinawa yesterday too! I am just sharing available information as well.

If you dont have any source to "share" it all could be bs too. There haven't been "thousands" on the bases, that's an exaggeration, unless you can actually show data to support it.

But either way, cant point fingers totally at the military either, as the ever increasing numbers, as noted by previous articles here and in the Okinawan media, have show far too many cases that CAN NOT be determined as to where they originated.

Would be interested in ‘discussing’ the specifics with you @FYI 5:40pm, once you first address my answer to your initial claims yesterday evening on the Okinawa thread.

“That was one isolated case in Tokyo …

… I am only sharing available information about this situation.” -

Also, in the interest of ‘transparency’, would be nice to be able to see a complete “Comments History”. (Odd, still not available.)

Interesting. Can you provide a direct translation in English for those from abroad?

@FYI:… “I am only sharing available information about this situation.”

The number of new cases is certainly very high. Despite of that, the percentage of recovering is higher too.

For Those Seeking Vaccination Sites in Japan,

https://v-sys.mhlw.go.jp/search/

コロナワクチン ナビ

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=en&tl=ja&u=https://v-sys.mhlw.go.jp/search/

We shouldn’t blame anyone for the surge, not the Americans, not the unvaccinated, not the non mask wearers. The variant is so virulent that we will all catch it. You can’t shut away and hope it dies out, it’s worldwide.

This variant is very mild, non obese and non very seniors should have no concern apart from the likelihood of cold/mild flu symptoms.

South Africa, despite a low amount of vaccinated did not see a large amount of deaths and severe cases in hospital.

The surge will be huge and end fast probably in a month or so.

If you feel the need to vaccinate please do, you will still be catching it but symptoms will likely be less severe than unvaccinated.

I think the best thing to do is try to get infected early so that you will have the antibodies by the time the next variant emerges (especially if its stronger, like a hyper-Delta) . Vaxxed or unvaxxed, you will want to be infected with Omicron, especially if you haven't had the other variants. Better immunity. Keeping people isolated only delays the inevitable.

"The surge will be huge and end fast probably in a month or so."

Your source, please...?

3RENSHO

Analysing data from South Africa and the UK and to a lesser extent France. The info is all readily available online. Not people’s opinions but data showing the severity of the variant, the speed of progression through the population and the peak and fall.

If you wish to dispute my comment, please provide any data.

3RENSHOToday  06:53 pm JST

"The surge will be huge and end fast probably in a month or so."

Your source, please...?

As evident in countries in Europe where Omicron seems to have peaked.

Omicron doesn’t care if you have 2 or 3 shots, you will all get it.

Vaccination is still important for people in the high risk groups!

Growth has slow down.

No worry, it will peak and that's over until the next variant.

I think the best thing to do is try to get infected early so that you will have the antibodies by the time the next variant emerges (especially if its stronger, like a hyper-Delta) . Vaxxed or unvaxxed, you will want to be infected with Omicron, especially if you haven't had the other variants. Better immunity. Keeping people isolated only delays the inevitable.

Yes! Very well said.

Omicron seems to be an ideal live attenuated virus vaccine, it should provide robust, broad, long lasting immunity.

Letting Omicron spread, while preventing hospitals from over flowing, will bring an end to this pandemic.

Paint dries faster, @FYI 6:08pm. - Here you go: Posted in- https://japantoday.com/category/national/COVID-quasi-emergency-imposed-on-3-prefectures-hosting-U.S.-bases - Jan 7, 2022

*- @FYI 6:28pm: If you read the article more closely, you'll see that the blame is based on hard evidence.*

The source of the spread is based on results of genomic analyses of virus samples taken from U.S. base workers and residents. It was a direct match.

Yes, there was 1 case of a Japanese guy in Tokyo, but that's nothing in comparison to hundred upon hundreds of cases from the US bases.

*@8:19pm**: ‘Believe’ @FYI 6:28pm is “Hard evidence”??. - Perhaps if YOU had “read the actively more closely…”:*

“The governors of Okinawa, Yamaguchi and Hiroshima “believe” sharp increases in COVID-19 cases in their prefectures are connected to the spread of Omicron at U.S. military bases.”

“Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki said there is "no doubt" that such facilities are one of the major factors,…

… while Yamaguchi Gov Tsugumasa Muraoka cited results of genomic analyses of virus samples taken from “U.S. base workers and residents.” -

*Does this mean “U.S. Army” only as @Monty claimed or, … are there also J nationals and local residents working on base included in the aforementioned samples ?*

Plus, it’s You, @FYI who added: “It was a direct match.” …

not the governors nor the writer.

Prime Minister Kishida himself admits:

“*It's difficult at this point to identify the cause and routes of spreading infections**" in the prefectures, he told reporters on Thurs*.” -

I stand by my earlier observation: [“Sure, @Monty. Let’s just blame the American ‘boogeymen’.”]

without taking into consideration there are other factors at play in the three prefectures.

There are 302 cases from the US forces in Okinawa. It exceeded 235 people that were found on the 7th and sets a new record high. The cumulative total is 4583.

Which has little to nothing to do with the total increase in Okinawa. You are like Denny, fishing for an excuse and a place to point fingers, to make it seem like you can raise your hands and say:"it's not my fault" blame the military."

Now is not the time to point fingers! Now is the time to lead and take care of the people of the prefecture!

Your attitude and responses are just like Denny, and things are only going to get worse because of it!

Why Japanese media are so much concerned and scared about this used to Covid ?? I think this is very much common for next 2 years.

How about this: Percentage of people in Tokyo that have tested positive = 0.00874%

Percentage of people in Tokyo with severe symptoms = 0.00002%

It is all about perspective.

The wrong perspective of course, the importance of following the numbers right now is not because this is the worst that could happen but because it is not, so people want to be prepared before. It is like saying the fire alarm only increases the temperature of the room by a thousand of a degree so there is no reason to worry.

This variant is very mild, non obese and non very seniors should have no concern apart from the likelihood of cold/mild flu symptoms.

The experts, including those from Sout Africa contradict your statement as false, even omicron is not a cold nor a mild flu, this is just dangerous disinformation.

The vaccines are statistically useless so far.

Of course not, the vaccines have very effective role preventing heavy disease, hospitalization, complications and death, saying this have no value makes no sense.

Omicron seems to be an ideal live attenuated virus vaccine, it should provide robust, broad, long lasting immunity.

""It should" only means you are pulling this out of thin air, in reality mild infection has been proved to give a much lesser amount of protection, and since immunity from other variants (including from infection) is short lived against Omicron the opposite is also to be expected. So being infected not only give a much higher risk than the vaccines, it would give weak, narrow and short lasting immunity.

So, less benefits and more risks than the vaccines.

Statistics on what is deemed as a “real” patient vs “not a real patient” please?

I think it is quite bold to assume out of the 16,555 hospitalised that most of them do not need care and it is simply a formality, if they’re not “real”. A hospital bed taken, regardless of if the patient is “real” or not, is a hospital bed taken.

The original Mainichi data never specify how many being hospitalized are categorized as "close contact." Close contact people are usually healthy. They may be called "virus-carrier suspects", but obviously not covid patients unless being confirmed by test. By the law in Japan, however, they must also stay at hospital for caution and further inquiry, which I believe is no longer practical. Covid is not Ebola, HIV or Sars, but the current law almost treats it as such.

Highly infectious Omicron is likely to raise the number of close contact as well as of the category "hospitalization." Like policy commonly taken in many other countries, I think it enough for close contact people to self-isolate at home, outside hospital. Likewise we needn't panic over the fast rising hospitalization number so long as it keeps including the number of close contact .

Second time posting this in 24 hours @FYI 8:38pm: “…virus samples were taken from U.S. base workers and residents. It was a direct match.” -

to WHOM ’specifically’ are you referring: local citizens “workers” and base family member “*residents” *?

Please clarify, at least, that statement before they close tonight’s thread.

Plus, on additional question: What prefecture hosts the highest volume of domestic tourists during Japans’ late Nov to mid Feb ‘Winter Travel season’?

Will agree with this statement @FYI 8:38pm;

- “… the variant is now spreading about by ALL careless people around the community.” -

You are incorrect most common Omicron symptoms are far different than other variants.

All the symptoms you listed are also included in the most common symptoms for the rest of the variants. So your mischaracterization of the actual importance of Omicron is as invalid as if it was done for other variants. Failing to address the importance of the infection and the much more important risks it brings compared with influenza and colds is what makes your mischaraterization so dangerous, and why the experts actively inform people that even Omicron is NOT just like a cold or a mild flu, exactly the opposite of what you like to comment.

Omicron seems to be an ideal live attenuated virus vaccine, it should provide robust, broad, long lasting immunity.

""It should" only means you are pulling this out of thin air,

No, not from thin air, but based on the fact that live attenuated virus vaccines have successfully been used by pharma, so I'm surprised you're not excited about this. But I guess that since pharma does not have a patent on Omicron....

in reality mild infection has been proved to give a much lesser amount of protection, and since immunity from other variants (including from infection) is short lived against Omicron the opposite is also to be expected.

Immunity from other variants is not short lived. Short lived refers to the waning of the immunity, not the appearance of escape mutants. Vaccines have been proven to be the shortest lived (2 to 6 months depending on the vaccine). I agree that mild infection will likely provide less immunity than a symptomatic one, but it should still be superior to that conferred by vaccination, and should provide the very important IgA antibodies, which the injected vaccines to not provide.

And Omicron has already be shown to provide immunity against Delta. So, Omicron will provide robust, broad, long lasting immunity, far superior to mRNA "vaccines", with less risks than the vaccines (according to CDC).