緊急事態、追加あり得る　医療の逼迫状況含め判断―西村担当相

　西村康稔経済再生担当相は１４日の参院内閣委員会の閉会中審査で、１１都府県に拡大した新型コロナウイルスに関する緊急事態宣言について「感染状況次第では追加もあるということだ」と述べ、対象区域をさらに広げることもあり得るとの認識を示した。立憲民主党の杉尾秀哉氏への答弁。
　西村氏は、対象区域を追加する場合、「地域の感染状況、特に医療の逼迫（ひっぱく）状況、保健所の公衆衛生の体制も含めて判断する」と語った。
　全国への対象拡大に関しては「東北地方や山陰地方はそれぞれ感染が低く抑えられている。今の時点で緊急事態宣言の対象地域とすることは慎重に考えなければいけない」と強調した。（2021/01/14-12:00）

Japanese economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura on Thursday reiterated his view that the government may further expand areas covered by its state of emergency over the coronavirus from 11 prefectures at present.
   "It's possible for the government to add more prefectures, depending on the infection situation," Nishimura, who is in charge of the government's coronavirus response, told a parliamentary committee meeting.
   On Wednesday, the government decided to expand the coronavirus state of emergency it declared for Tokyo and three surrounding prefectures last week to cover seven more prefectures.
   The government will decide whether to expand the emergency declaration further after examining the infection situation, medical care availability and the capacity of public health centers in each region, Nishimura said at the meeting.
   Meanwhile, the minister took a cautious stance about expanding the COVID-19 emergency for the whole of the country.