The head of the World Health Organization on Monday called Japan's efforts in tackling the spread of the new coronavirus a "success."
WHO Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus made the assessment during a news conference in Geneva held in the wake of Japan's decision to lift a state of emergency in all parts of the nation after it was first declared in early April.
Tedros praised Japan for stemming the epidemic in recent weeks, reducing the spread of infections from more than 700 cases a day at the peak of the outbreak, and for keeping the number of deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, at a relatively low level.