COVID-19 infections in Japan rise to 868

Japan's health ministry and local governments said Wednesday the number of COVID-19 infections rose to 868 in Japan as of 10:30 a.m. local time here.

The death toll in Japan from the pneumonia-causing virus currently stands at a total of 36 people, according to the health ministry, with the figure including those from the virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama, close to Tokyo.

Of the 868 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Japan, the majority are in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, which has confirmed 152 cases and previously declared a state of emergency over the situation.

Aichi Prefecture, meanwhile, has 125 confirmed cases, Osaka 112, Tokyo 102, Hyogo 86 and Kanagawa Prefecture has confirmed 59 COVID-19 infections, according to the latest statistics from health ministry and local authorities.

The health ministry said there are currently a total of 60 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 also said that a total of 679 people have been discharged from hospitals after their symptoms improved.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)