保育所休園、コロナで過去最多　２７都道府県３２７カ所―厚労省

　厚生労働省は２４日、新型コロナウイルス感染急拡大の影響で、全面休園している保育所や認定こども園が２０日時点で２７都道府県３２７カ所に上ったことを明らかにした。昨夏の感染拡大「第５波」のピーク時の１８５カ所を大幅に上回り、過去最多となった。
　前週１３日時点８６カ所の約４倍に増加。いずれも園児や職員に新型コロナの感染者が出たのが休園の理由となっている。（2022/01/24-17:42）

The number of nursery school closures in Japan has reached a record high amid the ongoing sixth wave of coronavirus infections, Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry officials said Monday.
   A total of 327 nursery schools and certified childcare facilities were completely closed in 27 of Japan's 47 prefectures as of Thursday, exceeding 185 at the peak of the fifth wave last summer.
   The number of closures nearly quadrupled from 86 as of Jan. 13, as more kids and staff at such institutions were infected with the virus.
   In response to the pandemic, the ministry started in March 2020 to count every week the number of nursery schools and others shut down. The weekly count temporarily sank to zero in December last year, but the situation has changed rapidly due to the raging omicron variant of the virus.
   As of Thursday, the cumulative number of nursery schools and other facilities hit by coronavirus cases had risen to 7,838, involving 7,644 workers and 11,397 children.