[EE84M3i]

One theory is that people are dying but it hasn't been discovered yet because of people staying inside. see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodokushi

Having just ridden the Yamanote today though, it's unreal how empty it is.

[aikinai]

I doubt there's much overlap in people who have so little human contact that no one knows they're dead and people who catch viruses that are still present in only a tiny fraction of the population.

Oh, and a third condition that these people be such recluses that they don't even call a doctor when deathly ill.

[makomk]

Even people with little human social interaction need to get groceries from somewhere...

[toyg]

Dude, you're talking about the country that christened the hikikomori phenomenon...

[TheCoelacanth]

There are undoubtedly recluses, but do they also have frequent contact with people to catch diseases from?

[toyg]

You can catch covid in many ways, it lives on hard surfaces for days.