OSAKA: The government of Osaka Prefecture declared a medical emergency on Wednesday, following a sharp increase in novel coronavirus infections in the western Japan prefecture.

The prefectural government issued a red-light warning under the “Osaka model” system for infection situation assessment at a meeting of its coronavirus countermeasures headquarters on the day.

The prefecture has secured 224 hospital beds for coronavirus patients with severe symptoms, but only 173 were in operation as of Tuesday, of which 86 percent were occupied.

The city of Osaka, the prefecture’s capital, and a total of five other cities in neighboring Hyogo Prefecture and the northeastern prefecture of Miyagi were placed under the coronavirus pre-emergency stage by the central government on Monday.

Following the pre-emergency designation, the Osaka prefectural government asked eating and drinking establishments in the city of Osaka to close by 8 p.m. It also called on people to avoid unnecessary travel outside of the prefecture.

The pre-emergency stage is slated to remain in place until May 5.

JIJI Press