Osaka Governor To Request State Of Emergency
Osaka Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi suggested on Monday that he will ask the central government to issue a state of emergency in the prefecture to contain surging coronavirus infections. Daily infections in Osaka reached a record high on Sunday.
The western Japanese prefecture confirmed 1,220 new cases on Sunday. Its daily figure topped 1,000 for six days in a row.
Osaka's medical care system is overstretched. The number of patients in serious condition totaled 286 on Sunday, outnumbering the 248 hospital beds secured for such people in the prefecture.
Prefectural officials are requesting that local medical institutions secure additional beds. They are also asking neighboring Shiga Prefecture to accept patients, send nurses, and provide other support.
Osaka Prefecture is urging residents to take thorough anti-coronavirus steps and avoid nonessential outings.
Infections in neighboring prefectures are also on the rise. On Sunday, Wakayama confirmed 44 new cases, the highest daily tally in the prefecture. Hyogo logged 406 cases and Nara reported 79. They are record highs for a Sunday for both prefectures.