Japan to declare COVID emergency in 7 more prefectures

Japan is set to declare a state of emergency in seven more prefectures in addition to Tokyo and five other areas due to an increasing strain on hospital beds propelled by the resurgence of COVID-19 infections, government sources said Monday.The quasi-state of emergency already declared in parts of the seven prefectures -- Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Shizuoka, Kyoto, Hyogo and Fukuoka -- will be expanded to a prefecture-wide state of emergency from Friday to Sept. 12.The government plans to make a final decision Tuesday. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is expected to announce the decision at a pr…READ FULL ARTICLE