COVID-19 infections in Japan rise by 21 to 697 confirmed cases

Japan's health ministry and local governments said Friday the number of COVID-19 infections rose by 21 to 697 cases in Japan as of 6:30 p.m. local time here.

The death toll currently stands at 26, 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 697 confirmed cases, the majority are in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, which has confirmed 136 cases and previously declared a state of emergency over the situation.

Aichi Prefecture, meanwhile, has 111 confirmed cases, Osaka 89, Tokyo 77, Hyogo 52 and Kanagawa Prefecture has confirmed 50 COVID-19 infections, according to the latest statistics from health ministry and local authorities.

The health ministry said there are currently 43 patients considered severely ill and are on ventilators to receive respiratory assistance or have been admitted to intensive care units for medical treatment.

A total of 511 people infected, however, have since been discharged from hospitals and medical facilities, according to health officials and local authorities' latest figures.