Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Health
By Mariko Katsumura and Elaine Lies

Japan to free up local officials to battle new COVID variant

Passengers and passersby wearing protective face masks walk on the concourse, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, at Nagoya station in Nagoya, Japan, July 21, 2022. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Japan is encouraging regional authorities to take steps to contain a new coronavirus variant that has sent cases to record levels, but there is no plan for sweeping national measures.

A seventh wave of COVID-19 pushed the daily tally of new cases in Japan to a record 233,094 on Thursday as the BA.5 variant spreads, putting pressure on medical services and disrupting some company operations.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.