People wearing face masks walk through the Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo, Japan, Jan 21, 2021. (ZHANG XIAOYU / XINHUA)
TOKYO / HANOI / SINGAPORE / NEW DELHI / MANILA- The Japanese government said Thursday that the number of COVID-19 cases was continuing to rise, with the spike in figures coming at the same time as a number of coronavirus rules and restrictions have recently been eased.
On Thursday, the nationwide daily tally of new COVID-19 cases hit 47,977 as of 7:30 pm local time. This compares to 45,000 daily new infections reported across the Asian country a day earlier, according to official figures.
As for the capital, a barometer of the future direction of COVID-19 cases in Japan, the Tokyo metropolitan government reported 8,529 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, compared to 8,341 infections reported on Wednesday.
Thursday's figure in the capital also marks an increase of more than 4,900 from a week ago.
The figure, the local government noted, marks the 20th straight day of week-on-week increase and the third straight day that the daily tally more than doubled from a week earlier.
As for those hospitalized by the COVID-19 virus, the local government said the seriously ill patients requiring breathing apparatus such as ventilators or ECMO heart-lung machines, totaled six on Thursday, down by two from a day earlier.
Following Tokyo, Osaka reported 4,615 new COVID-19 cases, while Tokyo's neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture said there were 3,130 new infections. There were 2,712 new cases in Aichi Prefecture, its local government said, while the figure for another of Tokyo's neighbors Saitama Prefecture stood at 2,434 on Thursday.
The cumulative number of people confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19 in Japan is 9,551,285, including those in airport quarantine and passengers and crew on cruise ships.
The death toll from the pandemic rose by 15 on Thursday to total 31,379 in Japan.
A girl walks past a poster at a vaccination centre in New Delhi on April 10, 2022, after government announced the paid precaution dose against the coronavirus to be available for everyone above 18 years of age at private vaccination centers. (MONEY SHARMA / AFP)
India
India's health ministry has reduced the gap between the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine and the third booster dose from nine months to six months, officials said Thursday.
The decision was taken on the recommendation of the Standard Technical Sub Committee of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization.
Health officials said the move is expected to expand coverage of the booster doses in the country.
India began offering booster doses to healthcare and frontline workers, and those about 60 years with comorbidities in January. The coverage was extended to all adults from April 10.
So far India has administered over 48 million booster doses, which is about 5 percent of the eligible population.
According to the federal health ministry, the country has administered over 1.98 billion doses since the COVID-19 vaccination drive began in January 2021.
India has reported around 43.5 million COVID-19 cases, second only to the United States, with the related death toll rising to 525,305.
A child receives the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11 as a performer dressed as superhero character Spider-Man looks on at a gym in San Juan City, suburban Manila on Feb 7, 2022. (TED ALJIBE / AFP)
Philippines
The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,936 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday, bringing the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 3,713,131.
The DOH said three more people died from COVID-19 complications, pushing the country's death toll to 60,625.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the country remains low-risk despite the steady rise in new cases.
"Most areas show a sharp increase in cases, with Metro Manila showing the steepest increase, now exceeding 550 cases per day," she said in an online briefing.
Singapore Airlines stewardesses walk past a giant lollipop candy display at Changi International Airport in Singapore on April 1, 2022, as Singapore reopened its land and air borders to travelers fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. (ROSLOAN RAHMAN / AFP)
Singapore
Singapore reported 9,985 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the total tally to 1,505,938.
Of the new cases, 834 cases were detected through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests and 9,151 through ART (antigen rapid test) tests, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Health.
Among the PCR cases, 780 were local transmissions and 54 were imported cases. Among the ART cases with mild symptoms and assessed to be of low risk, there were 8,754 local transmissions and 397 imported cases.
Three new deaths were reported from COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the death toll to 1,426, the ministry said.
A man passes walks past a billboard on the COVID-19 coronavirus in Ho Chi Minh City on Dec 4, 2021. (NHAC NGUYEN / AFP)
Vietnam
Vietnam recorded 913 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, down by one from Wednesday, according to its Ministry of Health.
The new infections brought the total tally to 10,752,140 with 43,089 deaths.