Japanese officials are thinking about lifting the coronavirus state of emergency currently in place for Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures, as the strain on the healthcare system is easing, reported NHK World on Tuesday.
Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide said he hopes to make a decision after listening to the opinions of experts and examining figures, such as the number of new cases and the hospital bed occupancy rates.
The already extended measure that covers the capital plus Chiba, Saitama and Kanagawa prefectures is set to expire on Sunday. Suga will evaluate the stalled pace of decline in new cases during deliberations on whether it stays in place.
The rate of decline in new cases in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba is slowing. But increasing numbers of officials hold the view that the state of emergency should be lifted, reported NHK World.
Suga is scheduled to meet on Wednesday with the minister in charge of the country's coronavirus response, Nishimura Yasutoshi, and health minister Tamura Norihisa. They will discuss the situation, reported NHK World.
The government plans to hold an advisory committee meeting on Thursday to determine whether to lift the emergency declaration. It will assess the number of infections and the state of the healthcare system. It will also consider measures to prevent a resurgence of infections, such as tests for variants.
On Monday, Tokyo reported 175 new cases of the coronavirus. That's 59 more than last Monday. It's been a similar picture for the past week, with each day's tally higher than a week earlier, reported NHK World.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dear Reader,
Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.
We, however, have a request.
As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.
Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.
Digital Editor
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU