CDC forecast predicts more than 61,000 new US Covid-19 deaths will occur over next 4 weeks

Japan will place Tokyo and 12 other prefectures under a quasi-state of emergency from Friday until mid-February amid a rapid surge of coronavirus cases, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday.

The emergency measures will be applied to Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, Gunma, Niigata, Aichi, Gifu, Mie, Kagawa, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and Miyazaki and be in place until Feb. 13, Kishida told a government task force meeting on Wednesday.

Okinawa, Yamaguchi and Hiroshima have been under a quasi-state of emergency since Jan. 9, with measures set to stay in place until the end of the month.

Some background: Under a quasi-state of emergency, local governors can request that dining establishments shorten their operating hours and stop serving alcohol. Residents in these areas are also asked to avoid traveling across prefectural borders.

Tokyo reported 7,377 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, up 2,192 cases from the day before and the highest daily case count of the pandemic, according to local government data.

The capital has 10 severely ill patients as of Wednesday – up three from the day before. 

Meanwhile, Osaka prefecture in western Japan recorded about 6,101 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, according to local government data.

Nationwide, Japan recorded 32,087 cases on Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In his first policy speech at the start of a 150-day regular Diet session on Monday, Kishida said he will dedicate himself to containing Covid-19 in Japan as the Omicron variant fuels a surge in cases nationwide. He asked for public cooperation to win the battle against the virus.

Kishida also pledged on Monday to roll out booster shots more quickly, vaccinate young children and ensure medical care services available for those with severe Covid-19 symptoms even when cases climb.