Japan faces its most serious situation since the Covid-19 pandemic began, the country's top medical adviser has warned. The government has been urged to send a "clearer, stronger message" about growing risks, including to the medical system.
Olympic host city Tokyo recorded 3,177 new Covid-19 cases yesterday, hitting a daily record high for a second straight day as a spike in infections puts pressure on hospitals.
Nationwide new cases topped 9,500 for the first time, media reported. "The biggest crisis is that society does not share a sense of risk," top medical adviser Shigeru Omi told a parliamentary panel. "The numbers (for Tokyo) surpassed 3,000 and this may have some announcement effect.