TOKYO, Feb 27 (NNN-NHK) – Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, asked organisers of big sport and cultural events to consider cancelling or postponing them in the next two weeks, in an effort to curb the spread of the COVID-19 in the country.
Abe made the request at a task force meeting on the disease, adding, the next two weeks is seen as a critical time for Japan, to contain the spread of the epidemic.
“In view of large-scale transmission risks, we have decided to request (organisers) to cancel, postpone or hold sport and cultural events nationwide on a smaller scale than planned for the next two weeks,” he said.
Abe’s remarks came, a day after the government adopted a basic policy to help combat the domestic spread of the COVID-19, with some of the measures aimed at ensuring enough medical facilities available to deal with cases of newly infected people.
A government panel, comprising medical experts said, the next week or two would be “critical” in assessing the extent the virus has and could spread in Japan.
They added, if a further spread could be curbed or slowed down, then medical experts would have more time to better prepare to treat infected patients.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Japan confirmed more than 860 infections, with most of them coming from the virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship.– NNN-NHK
