TOKYO: The number of new COVID-19 infections in Japan is declining slowly after hitting a peak in late July, a health ministry advisory board has pointed out.

The effective reproduction number, or the average number of people to whom an infected person transmits the disease, fell below one in each of Tokyo, Osaka and Aichi prefectures in mid-August, the board of experts confirmed at its meeting on Wednesday.

In the week through Monday, the number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases totaled 5,209, including 1,389 in Tokyo, 648 in Osaka, 429 in Fukuoka, 306 in Aichi and 232 in Okinawa. The prefectural figures were all down from the previous week.

However, new infections are seen rebounding moderately in Fukuoka and Okinawa, according to estimates by the experts as of Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the advisory board found that it is difficult at this moment to specifically assess the effects on the COVID-19 situation of people’s movements during the country’s Bon summer holiday period.

The board also decided to set up a working group to review an ongoing measure under the infectious disease law that allows authorities to advise infected people to be hospitalized, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms.

JIJI Press