Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Sunday that he would expand emergency measures as needed to contain a new wave of coronavirus infections, amid fears over the spread of virus mutations. Suga, asked on a Fuji TV programme whether Tokyo might be added to a list of areas including the western metropolis of Osaka set to come under lockdown measures from Monday, said, “All possibilities are being considered.” “It doesn’t matter specifically where, we will act without hesitation if needed,” he said. Japan is grappling with a Covid-19 resurgence ahead of the summer Olympics expected to begin in July, with large-scale vaccinations of the general population yet to begin. Japan’s Osaka weighs cancelling leg of Olympic torch relay over virus surge On Sunday, 355 new infections were reported in Tokyo, although that is still well below the peak of over 2,500 in January. Health experts have been particularly concerned about a surge in mutations among those who have recently tested positive around Osaka. The variant, known to have emerged in Britain, is feared to be highly transmissible. A total of 594 new coronavirus cases were reported in Osaka prefecture on Sunday, a day after a record 666 were confirmed. Variants of the virus have cropped up around the world since last year, including the E484 mutation detected in a growing number of cases in Tokyo, officials say. Around 70 per cent of coronavirus patients tested at a Tokyo hospital last month carried the E484K mutation, nicknamed “Eek” by some scientists and known for reducing vaccine protection, said public broadcaster NHK. The “Eek” mutation was found in 10 of 14 people who tested positive for the virus at Tokyo Medical and Dental University Medical Hospital in March, the report said. For the two months through March, 12 of 36 Covid-19 patients carried the mutation, with none of them having recently travelled abroad or reporting contact with people who had, it said. Hospital officials were not available to confirm the report, which said that none of the patients there carried the British strain. Bollywood star Akshay Kumar tests positive as India cases soar Bollywood star Akshay Kumar on Sunday said he had tested positive for Covid-19, becoming the latest Indian celebrity to contract the virus as the vast nation battles a new wave of cases. India reported 93,249 new daily infections on Sunday, according to health ministry data, the highest increase since September, taking the total known cases to almost 12.5 million. “I wish to inform everyone that, earlier this morning, I have tested positive for Covid-19,” the 53-year-old actor tweeted. Will India’s vaccine diplomacy be hit by surge in Covid-19 cases? Kumar said last year that he drinks cow urine daily to stay healthy – a practice some Hindus believe has medical benefits, including against the coronavirus. He tweeted that he is now under home quarantine and has “sought necessary medical care”. Saturday also saw Indian spin star Axar Patel announce he had tested positive and was in isolation ahead of the start of the lucrative Twenty20 Indian Premier League tournament. The news came just a day after Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar said he had been hospitalised as a precautionary measure after testing positive a week earlier. Single-day infections in the nation of 1.3 billion have been rising since early February when they fell to below 9,000 after peaking at almost 100,000 in September. Experts have warned that infections are increasing at a faster pace in India, which has the world’s third-highest number of cases after the US and Brazil, compared to last year. Maharashtra, where the country’s financial capital Mumbai is located, has been the worst-hit state or territory in recent weeks. The megacity of 20 million people saw its highest single-day spike on Saturday with 9,090 fresh cases. Ahead of Sunday’s figures, India had recorded more than 456,000 cases in the last seven days – an increase of 37 per cent compared to the previous week, according to an AFP database. Duterte approves Manila lockdown extension Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte approved a proposal to extend a lockdown in Manila and nearby provinces by at least a week as the country’s active coronavirus cases reached the highest in Southeast Asia. The national capital region and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal will remain under enhanced community quarantine from April 5 to 11, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said. The strictest restriction on movement, originally intended to be in effect only for a week to April 4, is intended to control a new surge in infections that has overwhelmed hospitals and been traced mainly to increased public mobility and new Covid-19 variants. Coronavirus cases rose by 11,028 on Sunday, bringing the total to 795,051, the second most in Southeast Asia, the Department of Health said. Intensive care capacity in Metro Manila’s hospitals remained at high risk levels, with 78 per cent of beds utilised. Active cases hit a record 165,715, the most in the region, on Saturday before easing to 135,526 the next day. Australia observes quiet Easter Sunday Australians were celebrating Easter Sunday in a relatively unrestricted manner as the country reported no new locally acquired coronavirus cases. Queensland, the epicentre of a recent, small Covid-19 community outbreak, has had only one infection in the past three days. The state has the tightest restrictions on public gatherings. Elsewhere, Australians flocked to the beaches, capitalising on the warm weather in many parts of the country, or gathered with families, in a stark contrast to last year’s Easter when a nationwide lockdown kept people confined to their homes. Across Asia-Pacific and Europe, has Covid-19 sparked an addiction to lockdowns? While many countries have imposed fresh lockdowns or curtailed services for the major Christian holiday trying to keep the third wave of coronavirus from further spreading, Australia’s churches were open and many were attending services during the four-day weekend. Christianity is the dominant religion in Australia, with 12 million people, and 86 per cent of religious Australians, identifying as Christians, according to the 2016 census. Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Sunday that the country was on track to give a first dose of the vaccine to all Australians who want it by October. “As the supply has increased with the sovereign vaccine manufacturing, so has the roll-out,” he said. CSL Ltd began production of 50 million doses of the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine in March in Melbourne, with most Australians expected to receive that shot. Reporting by Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Bloomberg