Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comTOKYO, April 16 (Reuters) - Japan's inability to contain the COVID-19 pandemic means that plans to hold the Olympics in Tokyo should be reconsidered, health experts wrote in a commentary.The 2020 Games, already delayed by one year, are due to begin in fewer than 100 days, even as Japan expands quasi-emergency measures to halt a fourth wave of infections. Japan has exhibited "poor performance" in containing virus transmission, along with limited testing capacity and a slow vaccination rollout, according to the commentary published in the...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comTOKYO, April 16 (Reuters) - Japan's inability to contain the COVID-19 pandemic means that plans to hold the Olympics in Tokyo should be reconsidered, health experts wrote in a commentary.The 2020 Games, already delayed by one year, are due to begin in fewer than 100 days, even as Japan expands quasi-emergency measures to halt a fourth wave of infections. Japan has exhibited "poor performance" in containing virus transmission, along with limited testing capacity and a slow vaccination rollout, according to the commentary published in the...WW…

TOKYO --Japanese health authorities are concerned that variants of the coronavirus are driving a nascent fourth wave in the pandemic with just 109 days remaining until the Tokyo Olympics.The variants appear to be more infectious and may be resistant to vaccines, which are still not widely available in Japan. The situation is worst in Osaka, where infections hit fresh records last week, prompting the regional government to start targeted lockdown measures for one month from Monday.A mutant COVID-19 variant first discovered in Britain has taken hold in the Osaka region, spreading faster and...…TOKYO --Japanese health authorities are concerned that variants of the coronavirus are driving a nascent fourth wave in the pandemic with just 109 days remaining until the Tokyo Olympics.The variants appear to be more infectious and may be resistant to vaccines, which are still not widely available in Japan. The situation is worst in Osaka, where infections hit fresh records last week, prompting the regional government to start targeted lockdown measures for one month from Monday.A mutant COVID-19 variant first discovered in Britain has taken hold in the Osaka region, spreading faster and...WW…

By TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan is singling out alcohol consumption in bars and restaurants in a new state of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka and two other prefectures, a response that highlights experts’ belief that alcohol can help accelerate transmission of COVID-19.The move is a departure for Japan, which in two previous pandemic emergency declarations did not impose specific curbs on alcohol.“When alcohol is involved, people’s voices get a lot bigger,” said Makoto Tsubokura, who leads a team at research giant Riken and Kobe University that uses supercomputers to model infection situations.Loud...…By TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan is singling out alcohol consumption in bars and restaurants in a new state of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka and two other prefectures, a response that highlights experts’ belief that alcohol can help accelerate transmission of COVID-19.The move is a departure for Japan, which in two previous pandemic emergency declarations did not impose specific curbs on alcohol.“When alcohol is involved, people’s voices get a lot bigger,” said Makoto Tsubokura, who leads a team at research giant Riken and Kobe University that uses supercomputers to model infection situations.Loud...WW…

By , (Reuters) - AstraZeneca said its COVID-19 vaccine was 76% effective in a new analysis of its U.S. trial - only slightly lower than the level in an earlier report this week criticised for using outdated data.Interim data published on Monday had put the vaccine’s efficacy rate at 79% but had not included more recent infections, leading to a highly unusual public rebuke from U.S health officials.The small revision to the efficacy rate will go a long way to putting the vaccine back on track for gaining U.S. emergency use authorisation - which it plans to seek in the coming weeks - and help...…By , (Reuters) - AstraZeneca said its COVID-19 vaccine was 76% effective in a new analysis of its U.S. trial - only slightly lower than the level in an earlier report this week criticised for using outdated data.Interim data published on Monday had put the vaccine’s efficacy rate at 79% but had not included more recent infections, leading to a highly unusual public rebuke from U.S health officials.The small revision to the efficacy rate will go a long way to putting the vaccine back on track for gaining U.S. emergency use authorisation - which it plans to seek in the coming weeks - and help...WW…

By TOKYO (Reuters) - Moderna Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine is unlikely to win approval in Japan until May due to requirements for local clinical trials, the distributor said, casting doubt over a nationwide vaccination rollout before the summer Tokyo Olympics.With an eye on the Olympics due to start in late July, Japan has secured rights to at least 540 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from several Western developers, the biggest quantity in Asia and more than enough for its 126 million population.But Tokyo faces a major regulatory bottleneck due to requirements for local clinical trials before...…By TOKYO (Reuters) - Moderna Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine is unlikely to win approval in Japan until May due to requirements for local clinical trials, the distributor said, casting doubt over a nationwide vaccination rollout before the summer Tokyo Olympics.With an eye on the Olympics due to start in late July, Japan has secured rights to at least 540 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from several Western developers, the biggest quantity in Asia and more than enough for its 126 million population.But Tokyo faces a major regulatory bottleneck due to requirements for local clinical trials before...WW…

By TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese supercomputer showed that humidity can have a large effect on the dispersion of virus particles, pointing to heightened coronavirus contagion risks in dry, indoor conditions during the winter months.The finding suggests that the use of humidifiers may help limit infections during times when window ventilation is not possible, according to a study released on Tuesday by research giant Riken and Kobe University.The researchers used the Fugaku supercomputer to model the emission and flow of virus-like particles from infected people in a variety of indoor...…By TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese supercomputer showed that humidity can have a large effect on the dispersion of virus particles, pointing to heightened coronavirus contagion risks in dry, indoor conditions during the winter months.The finding suggests that the use of humidifiers may help limit infections during times when window ventilation is not possible, according to a study released on Tuesday by research giant Riken and Kobe University.The researchers used the Fugaku supercomputer to model the emission and flow of virus-like particles from infected people in a variety of indoor...WW…

By TOKYO (Reuters) - Infectious disease experts guiding the Japanese government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak sounded the alarm on Tuesday that people are not taking the threat seriously.Over the three-day holiday this past weekend, Tokyo’s public parks were full of people at cherry blossom-viewing parties while the K-1 kickboxing organization held matches before 6,500 fans at the Saitama Super Arena.Large-scale events risk a resurgence of coronavirus cases that have been held in check to date in Japan, according to Hiroshi Nishiura, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology...…By TOKYO (Reuters) - Infectious disease experts guiding the Japanese government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak sounded the alarm on Tuesday that people are not taking the threat seriously.Over the three-day holiday this past weekend, Tokyo’s public parks were full of people at cherry blossom-viewing parties while the K-1 kickboxing organization held matches before 6,500 fans at the Saitama Super Arena.Large-scale events risk a resurgence of coronavirus cases that have been held in check to date in Japan, according to Hiroshi Nishiura, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology...WW…