Photo/Illutration Pedestrians wearing face masks cross a busy intersection in the Susukino entertainment district of Sapporo on Nov. 7. (Kengo Hiyoshi)

SAPPORO--Hokkaido is grappling with its worst outbreak of novel coronavirus infections yet as 200 new cases emerged on Nov. 9 with the bulk of them in Sapporo, the capital, according to prefectural and local sources.

Sapporo confirmed 158 cases, a record for daily infections in the city. 

The number of new patients in Hokkaido topped 100 for five days in a row and reached 200 for the first time.

The National Hospital Organization Hokkaido Medical Center here announced Nov. 8 that it confirmed eight new cases involving seven nurses and a patient.

To guard against a further spread of the group cluster infection, the center stopped admissions to and discharges from the hospital ward where the infections were confirmed and suspended some of its medical services.

As new cases are surging, the Hotel Okura Sapporo here announced that all 100 or so of its employees will undergo mandatory PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests every month from this month.

The hotel is conducting daily checks on the heath condition of its staff as well as requiring guests to have their temperature taken and disinfect their hands.

“We need to pull out the stops to reduce the risk of infection between guests and employees so we can continue operating,” said a hotel official, stressing the importance of PCR tests.

The SoftBank Group Corp.’s subsidiary will conduct saliva-based PCR tests for COVID-19 for all hotel employees on a monthly basis through March.

The hotel is now weighing additional steps it can take.

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