入院患者、過去最多更新　陽性者減も「注意必要」―都会議・新型コロナ

　東京都は１８日、新型コロナウイルスのモニタリング会議を開いた。新規陽性者数は２週連続で減少したものの、入院患者数が過去最多を更新するなど医療体制の逼迫（ひっぱく）が続く。専門家は「この１、２週間で新規陽性者数の減少傾向を確実なものにする必要がある」と強調した。
　１７日時点の入院患者数は４４２４人で、昨夏の「第５波」のピーク時（４３５１人）を上回った。７日間平均の新規陽性者数は、前週から２割超減り２万２６０２人となったが、専門家は医療機関がお盆期間で休診している影響を受けた数値で、評価に注意が必要だと指摘した。（2022/08/18-18:37）

Tokyo is continuing to face a squeeze on its medical system as COVID-19 hospitalizations hit a record high this week, metropolitan government officials said Thursday.
   COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Japanese capital stood at 4,424 as of Wednesday, topping the previous high of 4,351 marked in summer last year during the fifth wave of infections.
   Although the seven-day average of new infection cases in Tokyo slid by over 20 pct from a week before to 22,602, experts said that the figure needs to be considered with caution as it is affected by the closure of many hospitals for the Bon holiday period.
   Experts said, "We need to ensure that new infection cases continue to trend lower in the next week or two."
   Meanwhile, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike told a press conference that the metropolitan government will resume its tourism promotion campaign for residents on Sept. 1, after it was put on hiatus late last month.