Apr 12 , 2020. 42 minutes ago – 18:53 KYODO NEWS

TOKYO –

The total number of virus infections in Tokyo reached more than 2,000 on Sunday, as the capital and six other prefectures experience their first weekend under a state of emergency.

On Sunday, 166 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the capital, the metropolitan government said. The figure was lower than on Saturday, when a total of 197 new coronavirus cases were confirmed, a record daily increase for the fourth straight day.

In a bid to prevent a further escalation of the pandemic, Japan has declared a state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka and five other prefectures, urging residents to refrain from nonessential outings and some businesses to shut.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe extended his request to the governors of all 47 prefectures to ask their residents to refrain from visiting nightclubs, hostess bars and busy downtown spots in a push to prevent cluster infections of the novel coronavirus.

Nationwide, infection cases have risen to more than 7,600 including about 700 from the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship that was quarantined in February near Tokyo.

CR: KYODO NEWS