Message from the Mayor Regarding State of Emergency for Hiroshima Prefecture (as of 8/25/2021)

Since mid-July, the number of COVID-19 cases have been sharply increasing, and the number of new patients per 100,000 people for the past week has reached 100.5. This is four times the indicator for Level 4 and the spread of infection shows no signs of stopping.

In these circumstances, a State of Emergency was declared today for Hiroshima Prefecture from August 27 to September 12 based on the Act on Special Measures for Pandemic Influenza and New Infectious Diseases Preparedness and Response.

Currently, under the Early Intensive COVID-19 Infection Prevention Measures, Hiroshima Prefecture has formally requested reducing outings by half and shortened hours of operation for dining establishments and large facilities. However, with the declaration of State of Emergency, emergency measures are being considered that will even further restrict citizen activities.

Working in cooperation with the prefecture to stop the spread of the virus, the City of Hiroshima will continue to cancel or postpone all City-organized events, as well as close municipal facilities, as a rule.

In addition, to ensure early detection of new patients and the provision of proper medical care, staff at health centers and public health nurses at ward health centers have been working tirelessly to conduct proactive epidemiological surveys of patients, transfer patients to receive care, and monitor the health of patients quarantined at home.

Under the philosophy that it is the duty of the City to implement measures set out by the national and prefectural governments steadily and without fail, we are working hard to carry out COVID-19 infection prevention measures. However, the City cannot carry this responsibility alone. I would like you to understand that our success is predicated on the cooperation of our citizens; we cannot succeed without your help.

Looking at the current state of infections in Hiroshima City, infections are quickly increasing in households, workplaces, and facilities, spread by those who have traveled to and from areas with increasing infections, such as the Tokyo metropolitan area. Of these infections, the majority are in those under 60 years old. Moreover, with the highly infectious Delta variant becoming mainstream, we have seen severe cases of COVID-19 not just in the elderly, but in the younger generation as well.

I ask that each and every one of you remember that this is the situation we are facing, and to redouble your efforts to combat the virus through basic infection prevention measures, such as preventing infection-via-droplets (avoiding the 3Cs, proper mask wearing, plenty of ventilation), hand washing, and hand sanitizing. Under State of Emergency, I also ask that you refrain from leaving the house unnecessarily in order to reduce person-to-person contact.

Solidarity among our citizens is absolutely crucial in overcoming this dire crisis, and so I strongly ask for the continued cooperation of all our citizens and our businesses.

August 25, 2021

MATSUI Kazumi
Mayor
The City of Hiroshima