Unlike the measures taken during a state of emergency from April 7 to May 25, there are no national business closure advisories nor stay-home requests. But this belies the fact that the national tally has surpassed the high of 720 cases during the emergency on six of the past seven days, including 965 cases as of 8pm on Tuesday. News channels on Tuesday night devoted airtime to the growing strain on Japanese hospitals, with about 600 diagnosed Covid-19 patients awaiting admission in Tokyo. To curb the spread, local leaders, including Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and Aichi Governor Hideaki Omura, have urged residents to avoid unnecessary outings. Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said yesterday gatherings should be capped at five people.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 28, 2020 18:00 UTC