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Japan to expand Covid state of emergency to 7 more regions amid spike in cases
The emergency measures have already been imposed in Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa and three other regions and were supposed to end by August 31. And now, the number of regions under restrictions has climbed to 13.
Japan on Tuesday announced it will expand the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) state of emergency to seven more regions, including Tochigi, Gunma and Shizuoka, as the country is battling a severe surge in infections just a week before the Paralympic Games. The state of emergency could be extended till September 12, according to officials.
The emergency measures have already been imposed in Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa and three other regions and were supposed to end by August 31. And now, the number of regions under restrictions has climbed to 13.
The above measures include banning restaurants and bars from selling alcohol and instructing them to close at 8pm. The government is also expected to ask shopping malls and departmental stores to limit the number of customers inside their premises at one point in time.
“(Infection) is spreading across Japan on a scale we have never experienced before,” Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan’s Covid-19 response minister, told an expert panel on Tuesday, adding the number of critical patients is rising with each passing day.
Even though Japan has a smaller Covid-19 outbreak compared to other countries, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga-led government is finding it difficult to curb the spread of the viral disease fuelled by the Delta variant.
According to news agency Bloomberg, the emergency measures are having very little effect on citizens. Despite the threat of fines, bars and restaurants are not closing on time and are still selling alcohol. People are stepping out of their homes unnecessarily and no penalties have been imposed by government authorities yet.
Prime Minister Suga has ruled out the possibility of a mandatory lockdown and said he is relying on the vaccination rollout to improve the situation. Bloomberg further reported that a little over 37 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated till Monday and the government is planning to administer vaccines to all those citizens who want it by November.
Japan recently concluded the 2020 Olympics in the capital city of Tokyo amid the pandemic, considered by many as the most challenging Olympic journey. All events were held in a restricted manner in empty venues which only had athletes, team officials and journalists.
(With agency inputs)
