Tokyo slightly lowers COVID-19 alert level following decrease in new cases

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:00 JST, September 16, 2022

The Tokyo metropolitan government lowered its coronavirus alert to the second-highest level on Thursday following a decrease in the number of new cases. Previously, it was set to the highest level on its four-level scale.

The alert for medical care, which is measured on a four-level scale, was also lowered to the second-highest level on the day.

Tokyo’s coronavirus alert was raised to the highest level on July 14, following the rapid spread of the seventh wave. The medical care alert was raised to the highest level on July 21. Both alert levels remained unchanged for about two months.

According to the metropolitan government, the seven-day moving average of daily infections has been decreasing after it peaked on Aug. 3 at 32,106 and has been below 10,000 since Sep. 10. The bed occupancy rate for COVID-19 patients recently dropped to 35%, after once being about 60%. As a result, the metropolitan government decided to lower the alert level.