Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:
As of 11 p.m., Monday, Feb. 8
- Tokyo confirmed 276 new coronavirus cases Monday, marking the lowest daily infections in more than two months under an extended state of emergency in the capital and other areas.
- Japanese precision equipment maker Shimadzu Corp. started selling on Monday test kits that can detect coronavirus on inanimate surfaces, including doorknobs, faucets and computers, for the first time in the world.
- Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi plans to put off a visit to the United States in February after Washington showed hesitance about the idea due to the coronavirus pandemic, sources close to bilateral ties said Monday.
- A raccoon was spotted roaming in central Osaka past midnight earlier this month, in a rare sighting highlighting how measures against the coronavirus have left one of the country's busiest entertainment districts deserted late at night.
- U.S. President Joe Biden said Sunday the decision on whether the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics should go ahead this summer must be "based on science."
- The Japanese government will draw up guidelines on how to safely transport COVID-19 vaccines, health minister Norihisa Tamura said Monday, as it steps up preparations to distribute shots to the country's population of 126 million.
-
Japan's travel surplus in 2020 shrank to nearly one-fifth of the previous year, the first drop since the balance turned into the black in 2015, as international travel bans amid the coronavirus pandemic had a huge impact on the number of inbound visitors, government data showed Monday.
-
Parents with kids in some nurseries in Japan have been put on the spot by being asked to consider keeping their kids at home to help reduce the number of children in the facilities' care and curb the risk of coronavirus infections.
- Cambodia on Sunday received its first batch of 600,000 doses of novel coronavirus vaccine donated by China.
As of 10 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 7
- Doctors have warned that many coronavirus patients, especially younger ones, are suffering aftereffects for a long time despite subsequently testing negative for the virus and are calling on the government to take countermeasures.
- Revenue loss in the international tourism sector in 2020 caused by a decrease in travelers crossing borders is estimated at $1.3 trillion, on the back of strict travel bans imposed by countries amid the coronavirus pandemic, a U.N. body said.
Sorry. This article is no longer available.
Sorry, this article was first published more than three months ago and is temporarily unavailable.
Once the upcoming introduction of a paid membership system is fully operational, paid members will have access to all our stories.
Free Membership Provides
Newsletter from Editorial Team and access to archive articles from past three months.
By continuing, you agree to the Terms of Use,
and Privacy Policy.
