TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido declared a state of emergency on Friday as the number of coronavirus cases rose, asking residents to stay indoors over the weekend.

“Hokkaido has been doing everything it can to contain the virus, but the crisis is deepening,” Governor Naomichi Suzuki said at a televised news conference on Friday evening.

The state of emergency will last until March 19, he said.