People dying from Covid 16 times higher in Japan than last year

TOKYO: The number of people dying from Covid over the last three months in Japan is nearly 16 times higher than during the same period last year, the media reported on Saturday.

According to the country's national daily The Mainichi, this year's numbers are on a different scale compared to the last. Japan is currently going through its eighth wave of the pandemic.

From December 23 to December 29 last year, daily deaths stood at: 3, 0, 1, 0, 0, 2, and 4 -- for a weekly total of 10.

Deaths over the same week this year were: 315, 339, 306, 217, 271, 415 and 420 -- for a total of 2,283, based on data released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

"Taking a wider look at the most recent three-month period from October 1 to December 29, there were 744 deaths during that time frame last year. This year, the figure is 11,853," the report mentioned.

Over the four-month period from August 31 to December 27 this year, people in their 80s represented 40.8 per cent of the deaths.

"Those in their 90s and above accounted for 34.7 per cent, and those in their 70s made up another 17 per cent. In total, people in these three age brackets accounted for 92.4 per cent of the fatalities," the report mentioned.

Japan on Saturday reported 107,465 new coronavirus cases, down 41,319 from Friday. The number of Covid-related deaths reported nationwide was 292, down from an earlier record high of more than 400 this week.

Tokyo reported 11,189 new cases, down 3,336 from Friday, reports Japan Today.