The number of new coronavirus cases is rebounding again as Japan deals with its ninth wave of infections, prompting officials in hardest-hit Okinawa Prefecture to urge residents to stock up on food and medical supplies and ask people with mild symptoms to refrain from using emergency hospital services.
According to weekly statistics released Friday by the health ministry, the number of new COVID-19 infections reported from around 5,000 designated hospitals and clinics in the week through Sunday was 30,255, or 6.13 per institution. That’s up from 27,614, or 5.6 per institution, a week before.
In Okinawa, where case levels are the highest in the nation, the number of new cases per institution was 39.48, up from 28.74 a week before and marking an increase for six consecutive weeks.