Another coronavirus death reported in Japan

February 26, 2020

Sapporo--COVID-19 coronavirus infection has been confirmed for an elderly person who died on Tuesday in the northern Japan city of Hakodate, Hokkaido, prefectural Governor Naomichi Suzuki said Wednesday.

It was the first fatal COVID-19 case in Hokkaido and the second in Japan, other than four deaths among former passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined in Kanagawa Prefecture, near Tokyo.

According to Hakodate city government, the elderly person showed the symptom of coughing Feb. 16 and was admitted to a medical institution the following day.

The patient died of viral pneumonia Tuesday, and his positive test result for the coronavirus became available Wednesday.

The Hakodate government declined to disclose details of the latest fatality, citing the bereaved family's wishes. Jiji Press