愛知・埼玉、重点措置検討と西村担当相　尾身氏「第４波」明言

　西村康稔経済再生担当相は１４日の衆院内閣委員会で、新型コロナウイルス感染が拡大する愛知、埼玉両県に対する取り組みについて「まん延防止等重点措置（の適用）も含め機動的に対応することが必要だ」と述べた。また、両県の状況について「変異株の割合が高まってきていることを懸念している」と説明した。
　立憲民主党の今井雅人氏への答弁。西村氏は両県と対応を協議していることを明らかにし、専門家の意見を踏まえ最終的に判断する考えを示した。
　新型コロナ対策分科会の尾身茂会長も同委に出席し、国内の現状について「いわゆる『第４波』と言って差し支えない」と明言。まん延防止措置の対象拡大に触れ、「変異株の影響もあり、機動的に出す必要がある時期にきている」と指摘した。（2021/04/14-11:00）

The Japanese government will consider adopting pre-emergency measures in Aichi and Saitama prefectures for preventing a further spread of novel coronavirus infections there, economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said Wednesday.
   "Flexible responses," such as the possible adoption of pre-emergency measures under the revised coronavirus special law, are needed for Aichi, central Japan, and Saitama, near Tokyo, Nishimura, who is playing a pivotal role in the government's fight against the virus, said at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament.
   "I'm concerned over the rising proportion of novel coronavirus variant cases in the two prefectures," he added.
   The government is in talks with the prefectural governments of Aichi and Saitama, and will decide whether to add the two prefectures to the list of areas under the pre-emergency stage while hearing experts' views, he said.
   At the same committee meeting, Shigeru Omi, who heads a government panel of experts on the coronavirus epidemic, said, "I can say that a fourth wave of infections has started in the country."