Tokyo Governor declares coronavirus red alert
Tokyo raised its coronavirus aware of the highest "red" level on Wednesday, alarmed by a recent spike in daily new cases to record highs, with Governor Yuriko Koike describing the problem in japan capital as "rather severe".
The resurgence of the virus in Tokyo could enhance the growing pressure on policymakers to shore up the world's No.3 economy, which analysts say is set to shrink at its speediest pace in decades this fiscal year as a result of pandemic. "We are in times where we have to issue warnings to citizens and businesses," Koike told a press conference, urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel.
The infection rate in Tokyo is at stage "red", the best of four levels in the metropolis' system, Koike said, citing the analysis by health experts who cautioned early in the day that infections were going up quite somewhat and "exceeding peaks". She also pledged to step up testing for the virus through the use of equipment at universities. "
My understanding is that we're in a rather extreme situation now," Koike said. Infections among young persons and asymptomatic cases are rising in Tokyo, health specialists have noted. Fearing a second wave of infections spreading from the capital, local municipalities, opposition lawmakers and social media users have asked the central government to suspend a major "HEAD TO" travel aid campaign that aims to improve domestic tourism.
Leaders of some rural towns say that driven by the campaign, travel in and out of high-risk regions like Tokyo may cause widespread community transmissions. There were reports in local media of Tokyo residents being asked to stay from parents and relatives moving into rural towns that contain reported fewer coronavirus cases.The pandemic in Japan will turn into a "man-made" disaster should the travel program just do it, Soichiro Miyashita, mayor of metropolis of Mutsu in Aomori Prefecture, has warned.
But Japan's economy minister, Yasutoshi Nishimura, said the federal government will cautiously proceed with the campaign, which include discounts for shopping and food. "Obviously we will consider the thoughts of several of our people, while monitoring the situation ahead," Nishimura, who leads the government's coronavirus policy, told parliament.
The program, among the government's top initiatives to stimulate financial activity and set to get started on this month, in addition has come under fire over costs since it subcontracts back-office work to an exclusive contractor. Koike urged the government to reconsider the timing for the campaign at the press conference.
Infections are rising in other parts of Japan too, with Osaka prefecture in the west reporting 61 new cases on Wednesday, broadcaster NHK said, marking the highest number of daily cases there since April 20.
In Tokyo, daily virus cases exceeded 200 in four of the past seven days, touching an archive of 243 last Friday as testing among nightclub employees in its red-light districts showed rising infections among persons within their 20s and 30s.
Koike reiterated that people should avoid restaurants that lack proper infection-control measures.
Health authorities noted Tokyo hospitals were consistently getting crowded as the number of patients doubled from the prior week.Tokyo's latest cluster has been traced to a theatre with at least 37 cases in Shinjuku, a busy entertainment area and home to 1 of Asia's biggest red-light districts which includes been the centre of a recently available spike in infections.
