The government does not think it necessary to declare a state of emergency over the novel coronavirus again, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said, despite a nationwide surge in the number of cases.
“We’re doing careful monitoring with a strong sense of tension, but we’re not in a situation that immediately warrants the issuance of a fresh state of emergency declaration,” Abe told reporters.
We ask the public to take full precautions” against COVID-19, he said after a meeting on the situation with economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, health minister Katsunobu Kato and others.
Referring to the conditions that could help spread the virus, Abe said, “We ask people to avoid the 3Cs and to refrain from speaking loudly.” The 3Cs refer to confined spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings.
He also said virus testing capacity has not maxed out yet despite a recent surge of testers, and vowed to engage further in the early detection of infected people and treatment.
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Boston Global Forum honored Prime Minister Abe with the World Leader for Peace and Security Award on Global Cybersecurity Day December 12, 2020 at Harvard University Faculty Club.