Tokyo – Japan was set on Thursday to expand emergency restrictions to eight more prefectures to fight a surge in COVID-19 cases, as worries deepen about strains on the nation’s medical system in Olympics host Tokyo and across the nation.
Coronavirus infections are surging faster than ever before as new cases hit record highs in Tokyo, overshadowing the July 23-Aug. 8 Olympics and fueling doubts over Prime Minister Yasuhide Suga’s handling of the pandemic.
Tokyo reported a report of 4,166 new cases on Wednesday whereas nationwide new cases topped 14,000.
“New infections are rising at an unprecedently fast pace,” Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura informed a panel of experts at which he made the new proposal.
“The situation on the ground (at hospitals) is extremely severe,” Nishimura added, noting that severe cases had doubled up to now two weeks.
The panel signed off on the proposal, however, Nishimura informed a news conference some members had warned the situation was severe enough to require a nationwide state of emergency – a stance shared by the head of the Japan Medical Association.
Six prefectures including Olympic host city Tokyo are already under full states of emergency to last through Aug. 31 while another 5 are under less strict “quasi-emergency” directives.
The latest steps, to take effect from Sunday, mean that more than 70% of the population will be under some restrictions.
The government says the Olympics has not caused the latest surge however experts say holding the Games now has sent a mixed message to an already cautious public about the need to keep home.
Games organisers on Thursday reported 31 new Games-related COVID-19 cases, bringing the total since July 1 to 353.
It remains to be seen whether the latest COVID-19 restrictions, which are mostly voluntary, will have a lot of impact as the highly transmissible Delta variant spreads and people grow weary of staying home.
Japan has recorded greater than 952,000 COVID-19 circumstances and over 15,200 demises. Slightly below 31% of residents are absolutely vaccinated.
