保育所６４４カ所休園　コロナで２週連続最多―厚労省

　厚生労働省は３１日、新型コロナウイルスの影響で全面休園している保育所や認定こども園が２７日時点で３７都道府県６４４カ所に上ったと明らかにした。前週２０日時点の３２７カ所からほぼ倍増。変異株「オミクロン株」の拡大に伴い、園児や職員にコロナ感染者が相次いでおり、２週連続で過去最多を更新した。（2022/01/31-15:28）

The number of nursery schools and certified child care facilities in Japan that were temporarily closed due to the novel coronavirus has hit a record high for the second straight week, health ministry officials said Monday.
   As of Thursday, 644 such facilities were completely closed in 37 of all 47 prefectures, nearly doubling from 327 a week before.
   Many children and staff at such institutions were infected with the coronavirus amid the spread of the omicron variant.
   Some local governments have been failing to report closures of such facilities promptly. "The actual number of facility closures may be even higher," a ministry official said.
   There are concerns that if nursery school and certified child care facilities are closed, working parents may not be able to go to work as they will be unable to leave their children at such facilities.