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.
“We’ve seen a rapid spread of infections, including the spread of virus variant infections. There’s a danger the medical system will collapse,” Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura said Wednesday afternoon, explaining the reason for the declaration.
Under the new measures, residents are being asked to avoid going out unnecessarily. Students are being asked to wear masks during mealtimes, but Yoshimura said that for the time being there were no plans to close schools down. The spring term has just begun and Yoshimura said school closures could put students behind.
The governor also officially canceled the Tokyo Olympic torch relay on public roads. The relay had been scheduled to pass through the prefecture on April 13 and 14. However, he added that discussions were underway on an alternate plan that would bring it to the site of the 1970 Osaka Expo, now a public park in the northern part of the prefecture.