Osaka Prefecture declared a medical state of emergency Wednesday as its medical system strained to handle a rapid rise in coronavirus cases, including a large number involving variant strains.
The declaration came the same day Osaka reported a record 878 cases. Neighboring Hyogo Prefecture, meanwhile, saw a record 328 cases.
Osaka’s decision comes two days after it announced a one-month effort through May 5 to get the virus under control by requesting that drinking and dining establishments shut at 8 p.m. Officials are patrolling restaurants and bars to ensure social distancing and safety measures are in place, especially the wearing of masks. But with cases rising to record levels, the prefecture feared its medical facilities would be overwhelmed if it didn’t do more.