Japan Considers Expanding Covid Curbs As Surges Strain Hospitals

Coronavirus infections are surging at an unprecedented pace as new cases hit record highs in Tokyo, overshadowing the July 23-Aug. 8 Olympics and fueling doubts over Prime Minister Yasuhide Suga's handling of the pandemic.

Japan proposed on Thursday expanding emergency restrictions to eight more prefectures to fight a surge in COVID-19 cases, a cabinet minister said, as worries grow about strains on the nation's medical system in Olympics host Tokyo and elsewhere. Coronavirus infections are surging at an unprecedented pace as new cases hit record highs in Tokyo, overshadowing the July 23-Aug. 8 Olympics and fueling doubts over Prime Minister Yasuhide Suga's handling of the pandemic. Tokyo reported a record 4,166 new cases on Wednesday while nationwide new cases topped 14,000. "New infections are rising at an unprecedently fast pace," Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told a panel of experts at which he made the new proposal. The panel was expected to sign off on the new steps before official government approval.