Coronavirus Infections Increase In Japan


Coronavirus infections increase in Japan

Several cases of the new coronavirus infections were reported in Japan on Friday. The total number in the country stands at 259, including 218 from a cruise ship quarantined in Yokohama south of the capital.

Among the new cases, two people live in Tokyo.

They likely came into contact with a taxi driver confirmed to be infected on Thursday. To date, his mother-in-law is the only person to die in Japan because of the virus.

A taxi driver in Okinawa has also been infected. She came into contact with four passengers from the quarantined cruise ship when it stopped in the southern prefecture earlier this month.

Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki said, "2,679 people possibly disembarked in Okinawa. We've been checking up on about 200 people who may have come into contact with them. These checks will continue until Saturday, to cover the incubation period."

A man in the western prefecture of Wakayama has also tested positive. He had been at a hospital where a surgeon was confirmed to be infected on Thursday.

Elsewhere, the northern prefecture of Hokkaido now has two cases. Aichi Prefecture in central Japan has one.

A local government official in Kanagawa Prefecture bordering Tokyo has also tested positive. Earlier this week, he was engaged in transporting infected people from the quarantined ship.

Eleven of those taken from the Diamond Princess are in serious condition. So far, 713 people on board have been checked. Of those, 218 tested positive.

About 3,400 people remain onboard. They've been asked to stay in their rooms until a two-week quarantine period ends Wednesday.

Some people over the age of 80 with chronic health problems have been cleared to disembark.

They will stay at a government-designated facility until the end of the quarantine period.