狸の親子さんの おぼえた日記 - 2021年4月20日(火)

Osaka to request new state of emergency -NHK WORLD -JAPAN 8 hours ago

The governors of Japan's two major urban centers are considering stricter measures including another state of emergency.

The goal is to counter a spike in cases experts say is driven largely by more contagious variants.

In the western prefecture of Osaka, officials reported 719 new infections.
That's the highest on record for a Monday.

Health authorities there are asking hospitals to secure more beds. 254 have been set aside for severe COVID- 19 cases. But 302 people are in serious condition.

Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi says he will ask the central government to declare a third state of emergency in the prefecture , so he can further restrict the movement of people.

Osaka officials plan to ask bars and restaurants, department stores and amusement parks to shut temporarily. Yoshimura also says he will talk with governors from neighboring prefectures about issuing a joint request for an emergency declaration.

In Tokyo, officials on Monday reported 405 infections nearly 100 more than a week ago.

The daily tally tends to be low after the weekends, when many testing facilities are closed.

Officials in the capital are also considering requesting an emergency declaration ahead of a weeklong holiday that starts in late April.

The chief cabinet secretary says the central government is closely watching the situation in Osaka and Tokyo.