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New coronavirus cases rise further in Japan

Mar 13, 2020 (NHK) - The number of coronavirus infections in Japan increased to 676 on Thursday with 56 new cases confirmed. The data was compiled by local governments and the health ministry.

In addition, 697 people from the Diamond Princess cruise ship have been infected, and 14 cases have been confirmed among people who returned from China's Hubei Province on chartered flights.

Twenty-six people have died. Nineteen of them were infected in Japan and the other seven had been on the cruise ship.

By prefecture, Hokkaido has the most cases at 128, followed by Aichi with 111, Osaka with 89, and Tokyo with 75. Kanagawa has 49 cases and Hyogo has 46.

The confirmed infections include 11 health ministry and quarantine officials.

The ministry said that as of Thursday, 43 patients were in serious condition. Fourteen of them had been on the Diamond Princess.

A total of 511 people had recovered and left hospital through Thursday.

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