The governor of Japan’s western region of Osaka has canceled the upcoming Olympic torch event amid a surge in Covid-19 cases.
Olympic relay torchbearers will no longer be able to run through public streets as had been planned.
Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said the speed of infection was currently “very fast” and the infection rate “very high,” declaring a state of a medical emergency in the region.
“The number of daily new cases increased four times faster this week than before. The medical system is at a very severe level,” Yoshimura said in a news conference on Wednesday.
He also said the prefecture is discussing an alternative plan with the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee about holding the events at the Expo ’70 Commemorative Park in the city of Suita without spectators.
Osaka prefecture was set to hold the Tokyo Olympic torch relay on April 14. The relay began its 121-day domestic journey to Tokyo on March 25 in Fukushima.
The Olympic torch relay has been making its way through the country since March 25.
Medical emergency
The Osaka prefectural government reported a record high of 878 daily new cases on Wednesday.
Yoshimura warned that almost 70 percent of hospital beds in the region were full and asked residents to refrain from non-essential outings.
Data shows the more contagious variants of coronavirus made up around half of the infections since the end of March.
Osaka prefecture’s first medical emergency due to the pandemic was declared on December 3 and lasted until the end of February.
Tokyo also reported 555 new cases on Wednesday — the highest figure since the second state of emergency was lifted on March 21.The Games are currently scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8. The Paralympics will follow, from August 24 to September 5.Medical emergency
The Osaka prefectural government reported a record high of 878 daily new cases on Wednesday.Yoshimura warned that almost 70 percent of hospital beds in the region were full and asked residents to refrain from non-essential outings.
Data shows the more contagious variants of coronavirus made up around half of the infections since the end of March.
Osaka prefecture’s first medical emergency due to the pandemic was declared on December 3 and lasted until the end of February.
Tokyo also reported 555 new cases on Wednesday — the highest figure since the second state of emergency was lifted on March 21.The Games are currently scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8. The Paralympics will follow, from August 24 to September 5.
–CNN
