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Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Japan's Top Government Spokesman Contracts Coronavirus


Sun 24 Jul 2022 | 10:37 PM
Israa Farhan

On Sunday, Japan's health authorities said government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno contracted Coronavirus, the latest high-ranking politician to contract the virus in the country.

The Japanese government said - in a statement carried by Japan Times newspaper- that Matsuno, 59, is currently recovering at his home, adding that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other officials in the Prime Minister's Office have not been in close contact with the Chief Cabinet Secretary.

Earlier this month, ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Taro Kono tested positive for the virus.

News of Matsuno’s infection comes as Tokyo is battling a seventh wave of the virus, with the country reporting a record daily caseload for the fourth straight day on Saturday.

After developing a fever Friday afternoon, Matsuno took a polymerase chain reaction test on Saturday. The PCR test showed a positive result. None at the prime minister's office has had close contact with Matsuno.

Matsuno, a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is the 102nd lawmaker in Japan to have been infected with the virus.