How Iwate Prefecture in Japan maintained a low COVID-19 infection rate

Authors

  • Shuko Takahashi Iwate Prefecture Government, Iwate, Japan; Division of Medical Education, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
  • Ichiro Kawachi Harvard. T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5365/wpsar.2021.12.4.859

Abstract

The first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Japan was confirmed on 16 January 2020. The first wave of cases peaked on 10 April 2020 (n = 710) and the second on 7 August 2020 (n = 1595). Iwate Prefecture in north-eastern Japan was the last prefecture to confirm a case of COVID-19, on 29 July 2020, 110 days after all other prefectures had confirmed cases. No cases were reported during the first wave.1 As of 21 September 2021, there had been 3469 cases (282.8/100 000 population) and 52 deaths (1.50% fatality rate) in Iwate and 1.7 million cases (1333.2/100 000 population) and 17 294 deaths (1.03% fatality rate) in Japan overall. This article discusses possible reasons for the low number of COVID-19 cases in Iwate.

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Published

27-10-2021

How to Cite

1.
Takahashi S, Kawachi I. How Iwate Prefecture in Japan maintained a low COVID-19 infection rate. Western Pac Surveill Response J [Internet]. 2021 Oct. 27 [cited 2024 Dec. 22];12(4):4. Available from: https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/859

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 4 (2021): October ‒ December

Section

COVID-19: Perspective

Categories