‘UNDER CONTROL’

Japan Lifts State of Emergency After Sharp Decline in New Cases

India also resumed domestic flights in the country even as the coronavirus threat rages on with 7,000 new infections, the biggest 24-hour jump on record.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday lifted the country’s state of emergency in Tokyo and the northernmost island of Hokkaido, declaring that the spread of the coronavirus is now under control. The country has seen a sharp decline in new reported coronavirus cases—with just a few dozen on most days. “Even after the lifting of the state of emergency, we are going to have to live with the coronavirus around us,” the prime minister said at a press conference. “If we lower our guard, the infection will spread rapidly.” Abe urged the public to continue avoiding crowded spaces and adhering to social distancing practices to avoid another surge in cases. 

Meanwhile, India resumed domestic flights in the country even as the coronavirus threat rages on with at least 138,800 confirmed cases and 4,021 deaths. The country recorded 7,000 new cases on Monday, the biggest single-day jump on record. India’s Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that flights would require passengers to undergo temperature checks and wear masks before boarding flights.