TOKYO, Apr 3 (NNN-NHK) – Japan confirmed 2,759 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, a day after Osaka and two other prefectures were permitted by the government, to take stronger measures to tackle a resurgence of COVID-19 infections, under a revised law that does not require declaring a state of emergency.
Japan’s cumulative tally of infections rose to 481,244, with the death toll now reaching a total of 9,227 people, according to the latest figures from the health ministry and local officials.
In Osaka, Miyagi and Hyogo prefectures, where stricter anti-virus measures will be implemented from next Monday, for one month under a revised law, new infections increased by 613, 116 and 174 cases, respectively.
The revised law enables the central government to declare a situation that falls short of a state of emergency, in which special measures can be taken to counter the spread of the virus.
The designation can be applied when infections are surging in a situation equivalent to Stage 3, the second-highest on the government’s four-tier alert system.
The stronger measures that can be taken by the three prefectures could include imposing fines on bars and restaurants, that ignore requests to shorten their operating hours.
Businesses will also be urged to promote remote working for their employees, and large spectator events will also have the numbers of attendees capped at 5,000.
Osaka Prefecture, a day earlier, reported its highest number of COVID-19 infections in more than two months, at 616 cases, surpassing those of Tokyo, the epicentre of the pandemic since the outbreak here.
Osaka Governor, Hirofumi Yoshimura, said, Osaka is already experiencing a “fourth wave” of infections, while infectious diseases experts advising the central government said, the number of people infected with highly transmissible virus variants in Osaka was disproportionately high.
While calling for bars and restaurants to shorten their opening hours to 8.00 p.m. from the previous 9.00 p.m., Yoshimura said, he wants plastic partitions to be set up in restaurants, and customers to wear face masks when they converse.
The governor has also said, the Olympic torch relay leg in the city of Osaka, scheduled to take place on Apr 14, should be cancelled.
As for Tokyo, new daily cases rose by 440, surpassing the 400-mark for the third straight day, with Japan’s Health Minister, Norihisa Tamura, pledging all-out efforts to prevent a resurgence of infections.
Referring to the recent surge of infections in Osaka in the month, since its emergency declaration was lifted, Tamura said, the Japanese capital was not immune from cases spiking, following its emergency period coming to an end two weeks ago.
The government will not hesitate to declare a third state of emergency, if it looks likely that a resurgence in COVID-19 cases will occur nationwide, Tamura said.– NNN-NHK
