Hokkaido, Sapporo Issue Emergency Declaration


Hokkaido, Sapporo issue emergency declaration

The governor of Hokkaido and the mayor of Sapporo have issued a joint emergency declaration as coronavirus infections have started to increase again.

Governor Suzuki Naomichi told Mayor Akimoto Katsuhiro in Sapporo City on Sunday that newly confirmed cases in the northern prefecture have hit double digits for five days in a row. Suzuki said Hokkaido may be experiencing a second wave of infections.

They are urging residents to implement thorough measures to contain the spread of the virus.

Hokkaido lifted a three-week state of emergency on March 19. Under the latest declaration, municipal elementary and junior high schools in Sapporo, as well as prefectural high schools in and around the city, will be closed from Tuesday until May 6.

Public facilities in Sapporo will also be closed during this period.

Sapporo residents are being urged to refrain from non-essential outings. People in other areas are also being advised to refrain from non-essential travel to Sapporo.

The prefecture and the city are planning to strengthen their medical systems and to ask the central government for additional support for local businesses.