TOKYO, Jan 7 (NNN-NHK) – Japan yesterday reported 6,001 new daily COVID-19 cases, marking the first time the number has topped the 6,000-mark and booking the highest number of daily infections on record, since the outbreak of the pandemic here.
The latest surge in nationwide cases far eclipses the previous record of 4,916 cases logged on Tuesday, and comes as Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga, is gearing up to declare a state of emergency for Tokyo and three of its neighbouring prefectures, due to a recent surge in cases.
Tokyo’s new daily infections hit a record 1,591 yesterday, with other records also set in Saitama and Chiba, confirming a record 394 and 311 cases.
Kanagawa, meanwhile, the second hardest hit in the Greater Tokyo area, reported 591 cases.
All four areas will be covered by the virus declaration, to be made by Suga today. Government officials said, the emergency declaration is expected to be kept in place until Feb 7.
A state of emergency was declared in Tokyo and six other prefectures on Apr 7 last year. It was later expanded to cover the whole country, before being lifted in late May.
Japan’s central prefecture of Aichi saw its cases rise by 364 yesterday, as its Governor, Hideaki Omura, said, “If this trend continues for a few days,” he might ask the central government to expand the virus emergency to cover his prefecture.
Japan’s second hardest-hit region of Osaka also reported a record number of infections at 560, along with Fukuoka Prefecture which reported a record 316 new infections.
Amid rising concern about the health care system, Suga said, he would take into account the opinions of health experts today, before making a final decision.
He also said he would look to the health experts to “set a direction,” regarding the emergency declaration.
Hiroshi Nishiura, a professor at Kyoto University, specialising in mathematical modelling for infectious diseases, told a meeting of health experts advising the government, it will take two months or so, for the daily number of new infections in Tokyo to fall below 100.
Shigeru Omi, head of a government subcommittee on the pandemic, meanwhile, was quoted as saying, it would be an “extremely difficult feat to improve the situation to a state where the state of emergency could be lifted in less than one month.”
Toshio Nakagawa, president of Japan Medical Association, said, the government should look into the possibility of expanding the declaration nationwide.
Nakagawa also called for all lawmakers to “completely refrain from dining out at night, regardless of the number of attendees.”
His remarks came, as Suga drew criticism for attending a dinner party with more than four other people, despite his own calls for the public not to attend such events, where the virus could be transmitted.
Restaurants that serve alcohol will be asked to close by 8.00 p.m. from tomorrow, thereafter all dining facilities including those which do not serve alcohol, will be asked to close at 8.00 p.m. from Jan 12 through Jan 31.
“Since the Tokyo metropolitan area and surrounding prefectures are connected, we are coordinating with each other to implement (more) effective measures,” Tokyo Governor, Yuriko Koike, said.
As things stand, there are currently no penalties for people or establishments who fail to comply with the new measures, although Suga said, the government will try to change this.
The current legislation provides a legal basis for governors to ask residents in their prefectures to stay at home and also enables stronger steps to deal with outbreaks, including the requisition of medical supplies and food, as well as, the expropriation of private land for emergency health facilities.
During his New Year’s address on Monday, Suga said, a legal revision aimed at providing benefits for those who comply with anti-virus measures, such as earlier closing times, and penalties for those who do not conform, will be sought in a parliamentary session, to be convened later this month.
Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of the government’s response to the virus is set to report the situation to parliament today.– NNN-NHK
