Tokyo: The Japanese government said on Tuesday it would expand the Emergency of Coronavirus to seven new areas due to fighting a wave of infection record a week before the Paralympic match.
Virus emergency steps that prohibit restaurants and bars to sell alcohol and require them to be closed at 8pm already in Tokyo and five other regions, and have been scheduled on August 31.
But the government will now expand its size to an additional area, with restrictions in all parts of the country running until September 12.
“(Infection) spread throughout Japan on a scale that we have never experienced before,” said Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of Response Coronavirus.
“The number of patients in serious conditions increases every day,” he said at an expert meeting.
In addition to steps that affect bars and restaurants, the government will request a large shopping center and department store to limit the number of customers at a time.
Japan has seen a smaller outbreak than many other countries, with around 15,400 deaths despite avoiding locking.
But the inoculation program starts later and is slower than in many other developed countries, and only around 37 percent of the current population is fully vaccinated.
In the past few days, Japan has reported more than 20,000 cases of everyday nationally, a record for the country.
Surge began before the Olympics opened last month and continued throughout the game, which was held with the audience forbidden from most of the events.
On Monday night, the organizers said the prohibition of viewers would also be applied to Paralympics, with a limited exception for a program to bring school children to watch the match.
Paralympic participants face viral restrictions including regular testing and limits in their movements.
The government said there was no evidence that the match contributed to the increase in cases and polls recently found most Japanese people believed that the Olympics were a good idea, although many also thought it triggered a surge in infection.
Some experts argue that large international events damage the restrictions on government viruses, encourage people to come out and business to remain open.
Local media reports estimate up to 40 percent of bars and restaurants in some parts of Tokyo violate the rules of the virus.