Japan set to extend COVID curbs as hospitals battle infections

TOKYO — Japan ready on Wednesday to extend an infection controls in some areas amid excessive numbers of hospital sufferers hit by the Omicron variant of coronavirus illness 2019 (COVID-19).

The central authorities has obtained requests from 5 prefectures, together with Osaka and Kyoto in western Japan, to extend measures set to expire on Sunday, Chief Cupboard Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno informed reporters.

Media mentioned 10 prefectures, together with Tokyo, the capital, had been anticipated to search an extension of two to three weeks for the curbs, which embody shorter enterprise hours and limits on the sale of alcohol.

A panel of well being specialists will meet afterward Wednesday to advise on the state of the coronavirus battle.

Though new circumstances have trended down from final month’s report, hospitals nonetheless wrestle to deal with a flood of sufferers with critical signs.

February was the deadliest month with 4,856 fatalities, a tally by nationwide broadcaster NHK confirmed. Most had been aged sufferers left weak by a lagging vaccine booster effort that has coated only a fifth of the inhabitants. — Reuters

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