A Japanese health panel has approved a plan for more targeted Covid-19 curbs across much of the nation, as new infections decline but deaths rise to a record level, Reuters reports.
The government will let limits on mobility and commerce lapse on Sunday in five prefectures where the virus appears to have peaked but extend curbs until March 6 in 17 more areas where infections are still relatively high.
New deaths rose to a record 271 on Thursday, a tally by national broadcaster NHK showed, exceeding 200 for the third straight day. February's 2,446 deaths make it the second-deadliest month in the two-year pandemic.
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