Covid-19: Eight more prefectures in Japan under full emergency

Meanwhile, a woman receives the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination centre in Denpasar, Indonesia, on Wednesday. Pic/AFP

Japan expanded its Coronavirus state of emergency on Wednesday for a second week in a row, adding eight more prefectures as a surge in infections fuelled by the Delta variant strains the country's health care system.

The government last week extended the state of emergency until September 12 and expanded the areas covered to 13 prefectures from six including Tokyo. With four new prefectures added to a separate "quasi-emergency" status, 33 of Japan's 47 prefectures are now under some type of emergency measures. Eight prefectures were upgraded from quasi-emergency status to a full emergency.

They include Hokkaido and Miyagi in the north, Aichi and Gifu in central Japan, and Hiroshima and Okayama in the west. "In order to protect the people's lives, the priority is to maintain the health care system," Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said as he announced the emergency. "In order to overcome this crisis led by the Delta strain, I seek further cooperation from everyone."

Japan's state of emergency relies on requirements for eateries to close at 8 pm and not serve alcohol, but the measures are increasingly defied. Unenforceable social distancing and tele-working requests for the public and their employers are also ignored due to growing complacency.

Oz sees record no. of Covid cases

Australia on Wednesday reported a new record number of Coronavirus cases for the third time in a week. There were 973 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 reported across Australia on Wednesday, taking the total number of confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic to above 46,700, reports Xinhua news agency.

Non-vaccinated in Greece faces stricter measures

The Greek government has announced a package of stricter measures for people who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19 as part of efforts to contain the fourth wave of the pandemic. Those who are not inoculated against the virus will face new restrictions in workplaces, schools, entertainment venues, sports halls, gyms and travelling, and will bear the cost of PCR or rapid tests, Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias said.

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