Nationwide, Japan reported a total of 174,000 cases, with about 2,500 deaths since the pandemic began. Experts on a Tokyo metropolitan task force say serious cases are on the rise, putting burdens on hospitals and forcing many of them to scale back on care for other patients. The coronavirus task force on Friday asked the national government to take tougher steps to slow social and economic activities, such as suspension of out-of-town trips and requesting shorter business hours in areas where infections are accelerating. Latest data shows ongoing measures have been ineffective and the situation could worsen during the holiday season. The arrangement would represent the first travel bubble that New Zealand has agreed to since closing its borders when the coronavirus first hit earlier this year.

Source: Daily Sun December 12, 2020 07:04 UTC