Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced that Tokyo will be placed under a state of emergency (Kyodo) for the duration of the Olympics due to an increase in COVID-19 infections. The move could lead to a complete ban on spectators at the games and comes amid a rise in COVID-19 cases (Guardian) throughout Asia.
Tokyo reported 920 new cases yesterday, its highest daily total since mid-May, and a top health official said the virus’s Delta variant now accounts for 30 percent (Reuters) of new cases in the city. Many countries in the Asia-Pacific region successfully contained the virus early in the pandemic, but the spread of the Delta variant has prompted new lockdowns in recent weeks. Indonesia’s daily COVID-19 death toll doubled (WSJ) between Monday and Wednesday. Today, the Australian state of New South Wales recorded its largest day-to-day jump (Reuters) in locally acquired infections in 2021.
