Coronavirus pandemic: TIGHTER CURBS IN REGION: Japan
Coronavirus: 800 who attended play in Japan to be tested after cluster emerges
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The latest cluster has been traced to the 190-seat Theatre Moliere in Shinjuku (above), a busy entertainment area and home to one of Asia's biggest red-light districts, which has been the centre of a recent spike in infections.
PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
TOKYO • Health officials in Tokyo appealed yesterday for over 800 theatregoers to get tested for Covid-19 after a production starring Japanese boy-band members was found to be the source of at least 20 cases.
The Tokyo government said it was focusing on a 190-seat theatre in Shinjuku, a busy entertainment area and home to one of Asia's biggest red-light districts, which has been the centre of a recent spike in infections.
Japan is pushing ahead with opening up parts of the country, with plans to reopen a runway at one of the country's biggest airports, even as infections persist in the capital, as well as some rural areas and United States military bases.
"It's crucial that we maintain caution and prevent the further spread of infections, while at the same time pursuing economic activity," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference.
The latest cluster has been traced to Theatre Moliere, which staged a play for six days starring mainly up-and-coming boy-band members earlier this month.
The Tokyo government said it learnt of the first infection of cast member on July 6, after which testing found 20 related cases by late Monday. It called on all audience members who attended the performance to get tested.
The producers of the play Werewolf released a statement on Monday asking the audience, who have been identified as "high-risk contacts", to seek health advice.
Even as Tokyo struggles to contain virus infections, travel routes to and from the city continue to open up.
Narita International Airport, one of the two main airports serving the capital, is planning to reopen its second runway ahead of a public holiday next week, public broadcaster NHK reported.
Tokyo reported 143 new cases of coronavirus infections yesterday.
Overall, Japan has reported around 23,000 infections and nearly 1,000 related deaths.
While Japan has avoided more disastrous outbreaks seen in other countries, it faces a deep recession instead of enjoying a tourism boom that was expected with the now-postponed Olympics.
A recent Tokyo survey by the Asahi Shimbun daily showed that 59 per cent believe the Olympics should be postponed again or cancelled, underscoring the public's worries about the pandemic.
The newspaper yesterday reported that the Japanese government was considering easing entry restrictions for athletes.
REUTERS
