68 Coronavirus cases confirmed in Tokyo

March 30, 2020

Tokyo--Sixty-eight new cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Tokyo, metropolitan government sources said Sunday.

This is the highest single-day number reported in the Japanese capital, eclipsing Saturday's 63. The total number of coronavirus cases in Tokyo thus reached 430.

Across Japan, more than 160 cases were confirmed on Sunday alone.

Of the 68 new cases in Tokyo, 27 were linked to Eiju General Hospital in Taito Ward. Infection cases related to the hospital totaled 96.

In Tokyo, the death of an infected man in his 90s was also confirmed.

In Chiba Prefecture, just east of Tokyo, coronavirus infections were confirmed for 20 residents of the Hokuso Ikusei-en welfare facility for people with disabilities in the town of Tonosho.

Eight family members of facility employees also tested positive. As a result, the total number of infections related to the facility rose to 86.

In the city of Chiba, a nursery teacher in her 20s at a child care center was found to have caught the virus. She had contact with children after developing symptoms.

The western Japan city of Kyoto and others said a cluster of infections is very likely to have occurred at Kyoto Sangyo University, where five male students were found infected.

One of the five visited Europe with three other students until March 13. Coronavirus infections were recently reported for two of the three.

The five Kyoto Sangyo University students attended a graduation party. The Kyoto government asked universities in the city to identify students who recently went abroad.

Kyoto Sangyo University has decided to put off the planned school reopening to May 11.

In Kobe, also western Japan, five infection cases were reported. They included an acquaintance in her 20s of an infected Hanshin Tigers professional baseball player. The two attended a home party in the city of Osaka on March 14, as did two other Hanshin Tigers players who also caught the virus.

In Saitama Prefecture, Governor Motohiro Ono told a news conference that the prefecture's citizens are asked to continue to avoid visiting Tokyo except for essential needs on Monday and later because the virus infections in Tokyo keep increasing.

"I'm not asking residents to stop commuting to Tokyo, but I hope measures are taken, such as staggered commuting and teleworking," he said. Jiji Press