The Tokyo Metropolitan Government plans to start moving coronavirus patients with mild or no symptoms out of hospitals and into hotel rooms as early as next week. It aims at vacating hospital beds for a possible surge of more serious cases.
Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko disclosed the plan at a news conference on Friday.
She said the Metropolitan Government will rent an entire hotel building for that purpose.
As of Thursday, Tokyo had 628 patients in hospitals. Most of them had mild or no symptoms.
Officials say they have so far secured 750 beds for patients with infectious diseases, and that they need to be prepared for a rapid rise in the number of infections.
Patients who are moved into hotel rooms are to be monitored by doctors and nurses. Officials plan to move patients back into hospital if their symptoms worsen.
On Friday, Tokyo reported 89 more cases of coronavirus infection, bringing the city's total to 773.
