Coronavirus outbreak updates: Jan. 12, 2021

Here are the latest updates from Japan and beyond on the coronavirus outbreak:

People wearing face masks walk in Osaka's Minami area on Jan. 11, 2021, amid the coronavirus pandemic. The central government is expected to expand later this week a coronavirus state of emergency, already in place in the Tokyo metropolitan area, to cover Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures as well. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

As of 11 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 12

An expansion of Japan's latest state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic into three western prefectures is likely to decrease the country's economy by 2.1 trillion yen ($20.1 billion), or 0.4 percent of annual gross domestic product, according to an economist.
Japan plans to expand a state of emergency declared over the coronavirus pandemic to five additional prefectures beyond the Tokyo metropolitan area amid a resurgence of infections in those regions, government officials said Tuesday.
China has begun a second round of mass PCR testing in the capital of Hebei Province, local media said Tuesday, as the city near Beijing has been locked down after infections with the novel coronavirus were detected earlier this month.
The head of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee said Tuesday it is "absolutely impossible" to postpone this year's Summer Games again due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Domestic violence cases in Japan hit a record high of over 130,000 in fiscal 2020, with people more stressed and worried about life as the coronavirus pandemic forces them to spend more time at home, according to a government survey released Tuesday.
The government said Tuesday it will pay up to 400,000 yen ($3,800) to suppliers hit by plunging sales due to client restaurants and bars cutting opening hours under the fresh round of coronavirus emergency declared in Tokyo and its vicinity.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates on Tuesday agreed on the need to distribute coronavirus vaccines to developing countries in order to ensure the safety of this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, according to a person who sat in on their phone talks.
Two of eight games to open the 2021 Japan Rugby Top League season this weekend have been canceled after three of the teams involved confirmed positive coronavirus cases, the Japan Rugby Football Union said Tuesday.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga informed executives of his ruling party Tuesday he plans to expand a state of emergency declared over the coronavirus pandemic to cover Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures amid a resurgence of the virus in western Japan, party sources said.
With the coronavirus pandemic restricting human interaction, pet ownership has shot up in Japan as people hunger for companionship in stressful times.

As of 10 p.m., Monday, Jan. 11

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced Monday stricter lockdown rules for the nation's capital Kuala Lumpur and several states following a surge in coronavirus infection cases that he said have stretched the country's health care system to breaking point.
Ceremonies to mark the Coming-of-Age Day in Japan were held online or outdoors Monday, with some municipalities canceling the event altogether to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus amid a recent countrywide surge.
China said Monday that an expert group of the World Health Organization will visit the country later this week in a bid to investigate the origins of the novel coronavirus.
Japan is set to expand a state of emergency declared over the coronavirus pandemic to Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures, government and ruling party sources said Monday.
Indonesia on Monday extended the closure of its borders to all international visitors for another two weeks until Jan. 28, as the country tries to keep out a potentially more transmissible variant of the novel coronavirus.