The cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant are rising across Asia. Record numbers of cases have been recorded in Australia and South Korea, which led some countries to toughen the curbs while others ramped up vaccinations. 

The Delta variant has now been identified in nearly 100 countries. The WHO has cautioned that the world is going through a very dangerous period owing to the variant which is expected to soon become the dominant one globally. It has also been fueling a surge in cases in Japan.

Japan had reported that the Delta variant is accountable for around one-third of all the COVID-19 cases in the eastern part of the country, including Tokyo. This could rise to 50% by the middle of this month. Tokyo and its three neighboring prefectures are among the areas which are currently under a ‘quasi’ state of emergency till July 11… (ET Healthworld – Reuters, July 3, 2021)