The Japanese prefecture of Osaka has nearly reached capacity for Covid-19 patients with serious symptoms, forcing authorities to open waiting centers for patients who cannot find bed space, the government said on its website.
Beds for patients with serious symptoms in the city were 98.9% occupied as of Tuesday. The government opened two waiting centers in April with ventilators for patients who called for ambulances but could not be admitted because of the a lack of beds.
With just weeks until the Tokyo Olympics, Covid-19 cases in Japan are on the rise. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hyogo are all under state of emergencies set to expire on May 11.
As of Tuesday, 609,603 people in Japan had contracted Covid-19. At least 10,466 people have died.