Japan will declare a state of emergency as early as Tuesday in a bid to stop the coronavirus, media reported, with the government preparing a stimulus package to soften the blow on an economy already struggling to avoid a recession.
575 CITIZENS WERE DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITALS
More than 3,500 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Japan and 85 have died, not a huge outbreak compared with some hot spots, but the numbers keep rising with particular alarm over the spread in Tokyo, which has more than 1,000 cases.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was likely to announce his plan for the emergency later on Monday, the Yomiuri newspaper reported, while Kyodo news agency said new measures would likely come into force on Wednesday.
An emergency would give governors authority to call on people to stay at home and businesses to close, but not to order the kind of lockdowns seen in other countries. In most cases, there are no penalties for ignoring requests, and enforcement will rely more on peer pressure and respect for authority.