TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo hit another six-month high in new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, one day before the Olympics begin, as worries grow of a worsening of infections during the Games. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is determined to hold the Olympics, placed Tokyo under a state of emergency on July 12, but daily cases have sharply increased since then. Japan has reported about 853,000 cases and 15,100 deaths since the pandemic began, most of them this year. Suga’s government has been criticized for what some say is prioritizing the Olympics over the nation’s health. Experts warned on Wednesday that infections in Tokyo are likely to continue to worsen in coming weeks.

Source: Huffington Post July 22, 2021 11:37 UTC