Japan to declare nationwide emergency as cases surge

Tokyo: As the number of coronavirus cases have continued to surge in Japan, Prime Minster Shinzo Abe has decided to expand the state of emergency from just seven of the country's 47 prefectures, to the whole nation.

COVID-19 cases in Japan increased by 188 nationwide in 24 hours, including 149 new infections in Tokyo, the Health Ministry said on Thursday, bringing the national tally to 8,910, reports Xinhua news agency. The death toll now stands at 194, including those from a cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo, the latest figures showed.

In Tokyo, the epicentre of Japan's outbreak, a total of 2,595 infections have been confirmed, accounting for well over one-third of all COVID-19 cases across the nation, followed by Osaka prefecture where cases stand at 968 infections. Kanagawa prefecture, meanwhile, has recorded 622 infections, Chiba 537 cases, Saitama P513 infections, Hyogo 443 cases and Fukuoka 436 cases, according to the latest figures.