JAPAN: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has tested positive for COVID-19 and joined the list of world leaders to contact the virus in recent times. Reportedly, the PM developed a cough and slight fever on Saturday and took a PCR test thereafter, which turned out to be positive.
Kishida, 65, was scheduled to depart for an official visit to Tunisia but the virus has now forced him to be barred within his official residence, recuperating from the virus, as per details furnished by his Cabinet Secretariat. It is to be emphasized that Kishida is double vaxxed, as well as armed with a booster shot, which he took earlier this month.
As per local media, Kishida had reportedly worked till August 15, performing his official duties before taking a leave of absence to go on a short holiday with his family. He was supposed to work on Monday but after the virus detection, he will now be confined to his home or allowed to work remotely.
On the Tunisian trip, Kishida was expected to attend the eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) on August 27 and 28.
Like most Asian countries which have recently again witnessed a dramatic surge in COVID cases, Japan recorded 24,780 cases on Sunday in the capital city of Tokyo alone.
Despite the low rate covid death or hospitalization, the renewed rise in cases has convinced the government to take appropriate and necessary measures to contain the virus and prevent its virulence before things get out of hand.
The Japanese economy grew at 2.2 per cent in the second quarter, lower than what was originally predicted.
At present, Japan intends to keep the covid rates low and the economy functioning so that the country is not “closed”.
