Tuesday, 31 March 2020

Tokyo records highest number of new coronavirus cases in a single day

Pressure for lockdown in Japan is building, as Tokyo recorded the most coronavirus cases in a single day.

Japan’s capital recorded more than 70 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, its highest total in a single day yet. Japan's prime minister is under increasing pressure to order a lockdown.

From Reuters:

Domestic cases topped 2,000, and public broadcaster NHK said 78 cases in Tokyo took its tally of infections past 500.

“This is the greatest increase up to now and is certainly of high concern, and I’m worried about what tomorrow’s figures might show,” said Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike.

A government spokesman said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told cabinet members he and his second-in-command, Taro Aso, would no longer attend the same meetings to protect the leadership from infection. But the two were later shown at the same gathering - although wearing masks and sitting apart.

More at Reuters.