General
Covid-19: Japan expected to lift state of emergency in many areas
After the coronavirus cases reduced in recent days, Japan is expected to decide on Thursday to lift the nationwide state of emergency in many of its prefectures.
Japan is expected to decide on Thursday to lift the nationwide state of emergency in many of its prefectures after the number of new coronavirus cases fell in recent days.
It is likely to be lifted in 39 of Japan’s 47 prefectures ahead of the scheduled expiry on May 31, while metropolitan areas such as Tokyo and Osaka will remain under the measure, local media reported.
Japan confirmed 55 new cases on Wednesday, falling below 100 for the fourth day in a row, broadcaster NHK reported.
READ ALSO: Trade deals: Trump ‘not interested’ in reopening talks with China
The country has so far reported 16,815 cases, including 712 on a cruise ship quarantined near Tokyo in February and 709 deaths from the COVID-19 respiratory disease caused by the virus, according to an NHK tally.
However, critics say the actual number of cases could be as much as 10 times higher and say Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government failed to boost testing capabilities.
The government did not appear to discuss how many tests the country needs in order to lift the emergency now.
Japan has conducted only 1.77 tests per 1,000 people, compared with South Korea’s 13.28 and New Zealand’s 40.87, according to Our World in Data, a research group at the University of Oxford.
In early April, Abe declared a one-month state of emergency for seven urban prefectures such as Tokyo and Osaka.
A week later the emergency was expanded to the whole country.
He then extended it to the end of May.
NAN
-
Entertainment24 hours ago
Davido pays tribute to wife Chioma on 29th birthday
-
Metro23 hours ago
Two Edo varsity students killed in cult clash
-
Entertainment24 hours ago
Kizz Daniel, 2Baba team up for new music project
-
News14 hours ago
Unknown gunmen kidnap four in Abuja community
-
News14 hours ago
Adeleke boasts of loan-free tenure 16 months into Osun administration
-
Politics11 hours ago
May Day: Edo LP guber candidate Akpata vows to prioritize welfare
-
Metro13 hours ago
FG offers free train rides on Port Harcourt-Aba railway
-
News12 hours ago
May Day: Akpabio assures workers of improved welfare