The average number of new coronavirus cases at designated hospitals across Japan rose for 10 consecutive weeks in the week through July 14, health ministry data showed Friday.
The average among the roughly 5,000 medical institutions stood at 11.18 in the week, with the total number of patients increasing to 55,072, 1.39 times the figure the previous week, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare data revealed.
The KP.3 variant of COVID-19, derived from the Omicron JN.1 strain, has been dominant since this spring. Compared with JN.1, KP.3 is more contagious and capable of evading immunity acquired by infections and vaccinations, according to an analytical finding by a research team at the University of Tokyo.
Japan "is likely entering an 11th wave of COVID-19 infections," said Naoki Hasegawa, a chairperson of the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases and a professor at Keio University. "It is important to prevent contracting and spreading."
People should wear masks in crowded places and refraining from nonessential outings when feeling unwell, he added.
