TOKYO, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The city of Kitakyushu in Japan's southwestern prefecture of Fukuoka has been hit by a second wave of coronavirus infections, the city's mayor Kenji Kitahashi reiterated Friday, after a recent spike in new COVID-19 cases led to the government deploying its cluster response team to the city earlier this week.
"I recognize that we are in the middle of the second wave," Kitahashi was quoted as telling a meeting of the city's response team.
Kitakyushu City registered zero new COVID-19 cases from April 30 to May 22, but confirmed 43 new infections in the six days through Thursday, with 21 new cases confirmed on Thursday alone, according to the health ministry and local authorities.
Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan's economic revitalization minister, also in charge of the government's coronavirus response, told a press briefing on the matter in Tokyo that of the 43 cases, the infection routes had only been traced in around half of them.
But despite the possible second wave of infections hitting the southwestern city, Japan's top government spokesperson Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference that the central government is not going to declare a state of emergency again in Fukuoka Prefecture.
The recent spike in cases in Kitakyushu City follow the state of emergency over the coronavirus being lifted in 39 of Japan's 47 prefectures, comprising Fukuoka Prefecture that includes Kitakyushu, on May 14, due to the virus' spread being deemed to have been contained.
On Monday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe completely lifted the state of emergency for the nation, with the five remaining prefectures still under restrictions, including Tokyo, being judged to have also controlled the spread of the virus.
Recently reopened attractions in Kitakyushu City were closed down on Thursday, however, along with 43 public facilities that will be shuttered until June 18.
These include Kokura Castle, a literature museum and a manga museum.
As for the broader prefecture, Fukuoka Governor Hiroshi Ogawa said Friday, "I'm very surprised and have a strong sense of crisis," with regards to the new outbreak.
He added that the planned lifting of business restrictions on Monday would now be pending the results of the health ministry's cluster response team's analysis of the situation. Enditem
