May 18 (NHK) - The number of severe COVID-19 cases hit another record high in Japan on Tuesday, adding to the burden of some medical systems in the country.
More than 1,200 patients are now using ventilators or receiving treatment at intensive care units across Japan.
This comes as a state of emergency declaration is in effect in Tokyo, Osaka and seven other prefectures.
Residents are being asked to stay home as much as possible. Bars and restaurants are being urged not to serve alcohol and close early. The measures will be in place until the end of this month.
Officials in Tokyo confirmed 732 new infections on Tuesday. That's a decline of nearly 200 from a week ago, but Tokyo's governor hopes to see those numbers continue to fall. Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko said, "We must keep reducing the number of new cases."
Osaka reported 509 cases. That's down 465 from last Tuesday.
Osaka Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi said, "The decline suggests that the state of emergency is starting to take effect. But we shouldn't lower our guard. We must maintain strict virus measures."
Medical systems in the nine prefectures are under serious strain. In Fukuoka, about 80 percent of more than 1,100 hospital beds allocated for coronavirus patients are occupied.
A man in his 60s called an ambulance when his temperature soared and he had a fit of coughing. But he had to wait for two and a half hours in the vehicle before he was transported to a hospital. Around 30 hospitals turned down the request.
Across Japan more than 5,000 new infections were reported on Tuesday.
