Olympic Host Tokyo Hits Record 2,848 Covid Cases, Seeks More Hospital Beds

TOKYO:Tokyo’s 2,848 COVID-19 infections on Tuesday were the Olympic host city’s highest since the pandemic began, officials said, as media reported that authorities had asked hospitals to prepare more beds for patients as the Delta variant drives the surge.

The rise in cases threatens to further erode support for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, whose ratings have slid to their lowest level since he took office last September, in large part because of his haphazard handling of the pandemic.

It also spells trouble for the Olympics, as many Japanese fear the influx of athletes and officials for the event could add to the surge. About 31% in a survey by the Nikkei daily on Monday said https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/support-japans-pm-suga-slides-tokyo-games-underway-2021-07-26 the Games should be cancelled or postponed again.