NAGOYA — The government of this central Japan city, which recently saw a surge in coronavirus cases, plans to enact an ordinance allowing authorities to ask residents strongly suspected of infection to provide information on their body temperature and refrain from going outside at the request of the mayor, according to sources close to the city.

Although the intended ordinance does not have penalties, its aim is to strongly urge residents to refrain from engaging in activities that may further spread the virus. If enacted, it will apparently be the first coronavirus-related ordinance in the nation.

The ordinance bill “for the whole city to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus” will soon be submitted to the municipal assembly in session.

According to several sources close to the case, a person in Nagoya whose health was being monitored after allegedly coming into close contact with an individual who tested positive for the new virus used public transportation to go to work, even after being requested by the local health center to refrain from going out.

The Nagoya Municipal Government took the matter seriously and decided to impose a legal obligation on citizens and local firms to prevent the spread of the virus.

In the bill, private firms are obliged “to adopt measures needed to prevent outbreaks and the spread of infection,” while residents have an obligation “to acquire accurate information and to take extra care as to not spread the virus.”

(Japanese original by Ayuko Nomura, Nagoya News Center)