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Coronavirus cases are increasing in Japan and South Korea, reaching levels not seen in months, as the weather cools and people congregate inside.
Japan reported 1,649 new cases on Friday, a record high, surpassing the previous daily high set on August 7.
Clusters of infections have been linked to a wide range of places, including restaurants, offices, nursing homes and hospitals across Japan. The areas hardest hit by the latest wave of infections are Tokyo and Osaka, as well as Aichi Prefecture – which includes the city of Nagoya – and the northern island of Hokkaido.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Friday urged people to take preventative action against the virus, warning that the upward trend in new cases is intensifying. Despite the increase in the number of cases, Suga said it was not yet necessary to declare a new state of emergency.
South Korea has also kept its current social distancing measures in place, despite a sharp increase in cases. On Friday, he reported 191 new infections – his highest number in 70 days.
Health officials are concerned about the large gatherings planned this weekend in Seoul and other cities by worker and civil society groups – which could total around 100,000 participants. Seoul on Friday rolled out a new mask warrant that applies to outdoor gatherings as well as public transportation and some indoor venues, with violators facing fines of around $ 90.
“If the current trend continues, we must seriously consider increasing social distancing restrictions,” Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Friday in a meeting with health officials.
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