Three prefectures near Tokyo would jointly request the Japanese central government to put them into regions under the Coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency state following a recent increase in the number of infections.
This was according to Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai, local media reported on Thursday.
Kumagai expressed “a strong sense of crisis’’ over the rapid spread of the virus at a press conference.
Yasutoshi Nishimura, minister in charge of the COVID-19 response, said he would “swiftly decide and respond flexibly once the request is made’’ by Chiba, Kanagawa, and Saitama prefectures.
Japan’s daily COVID-19 cases in total struck a record number of 9,583 on Wednesday, and the Olympic host city Tokyo.
This, which was already under an emergency state until Aug. 22, has faced surging cases with a record high of 3,177 infections registered.
The three neighbouring prefectures also reported record single-day highs.
The three prefectures were currently under a quasi-state of emergency, with fewer restrictions on business activity than the state of emergency.
Shigeru Omi, an infectious disease expert who led the government subcommittee on the COVID-19, urged the government in a parliamentary hearing Thursday to give out a strong message to citizens.
He warned about the rising stress on the health care system.
“I have a strong sense of crisis. There are not many factors that will lower the current level of infections,” said Omi.
He also said the greatest danger was in the fact that the general public “does not share a sense of crisis,’’ and that such a situation would bring a further spread of the virus.
“I want the government to send out a message that is clearer and stronger than ever without missing this timing,’’ Omi said. (Xinhua/NAN)
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