Japan records 53 new COVID-19 cases, 7,744 in total

Japan's health ministry and local governments said Tuesday afternoon the number COVID-19 cases in Japan rose by 53 to 7,744, with the latest figure coming one week after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a state of emergency over the crisis for Tokyo and six other prefectures.

The death toll from the pneumonia-causing virus currently stands at a total of 158, including those from a cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo.

Last Tuesday Japan declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus in a bid to better empower prefectures to take measures to curb its spread.

The prefectures under the declaration are Tokyo, Osaka, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Hyogo and Fukuoka prefectures, but other prefectures' governors have asked to be added to the list.

Other prefectures, meanwhile, have issued their own state of emergency independent of the central government and asked their residents to take various measures in a bid to prevent the virus' spread.

In Tokyo, the epicenter of Japan's outbreak, Japanese "izakaya" pubs have been requested to close their doors at 8:00 p.m. (local time) and restaurants asked stop serving alcohol by 7:00 p.m. (local time) to dissuade people from gathering in groups in confined spaces.

Places in the capital where people typically gather in large groups have been asked to suspend their business activities.

These include live music venues, night clubs, internet cafes, pachinko parlors, sports clubs, game centers and cinemas.

Essential services like medical institutions, supermarkets, convenience stores, hotels, public transport providers and financial services, among others, are operating as usual with the proviso they take measures to curb the spread of the virus.

While Tokyo has confirmed well over one-third of all COVID-19 cases across nation with a total of 2,158 cases, Osaka Prefecture, as of Tuesday afternoon, had recorded 835 cases, followed by Kanagawa Prefecture with 561.

Chiba Prefecture has 486 COVID-19 cases, while Saitama Prefecture has recorded 430 cases of the virus, the latest figures showed.

Hyogo Prefecture, meanwhile, has 397 cases and Fukuoka Prefecture has recorded 374 cases of COVID-19.

The health ministry also said there are currently a total of 141 patients considered severely ill and are on ventilators to receive respiratory assistance or have been admitted to intensive care units for medical treatment.

The ministry added that in total, 1,443 people have been discharged from hospitals after their symptoms improved, according to the latest figures.